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4 


THE   LAND   OF   PROMISE 


'CAN'T  vor  HKAU  IT,  THK  SII.KNCK   OP  THK   I-KAIKIK? 


THE 

LAND  OF  PROMISE 

A  NOVELIZATION  OF 
W.    SOMERSET    MAUGHAM'S    PLAY 

BY 

D.  TORBETT 


ILLUSTRATED  FROM  PHOTOGRAPHS 
OF  SCENES  FROM  THE  PLAY 


NEW      YORK 

GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT,  1914,  BY 
EDWARD    J.    CLODE 


THE   LAND   OF   PROMISE 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

CHAPTEE  I 

NOEA  opened  her  eyes  to  an  unaccustomed 
consciousness  of  well-being.  She  was 
dimly  aware  that  it  had  its  origin  in 
something  deeper  than  mere  physical  comfort; 
but  for  the  moment,  in  that  state  between  sleep- 
ing and  wakening,  which  still  held  her,  it  was 
enough  to  find  that  body  and  mind  seemed 
rested. 

Youth  was  reasserting  itself.  And  it  was 
only  a  short  time  ago  that  she  had  felt  that 
never,  never,  could  she  by  any  possible  chance 
feel  young  again.  When  one  is  young,  one  re- 
sents the  reaction  after  any  strain  not  purely 
physical  as  if  it  were  a  premature  symptom  of 
old  age. 

A  ray  of  brilliant  sunshine,  which  found  its 
way  through  a  gap  in  the  drawn  curtains, 
showed  that  it  was  long  past  the  usual  hour 
for  rising.  She  smiled  whimsically  and  closed 
her  eyes  once  more.  She  remembered  now  that 
she  was  not  in  her  own  little  room  in  the  other 
wing  of  the  house.  The  curtains  proved  that. 


2  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

How  often  in  the  ten  years  she  had  been  with 
Miss  Wickham  had  she  begged  that  the  staring 
white  window  blind,  which  decorated  her  one 
window,  be  replaced  by  curtains  or  even  a  blind 
of  a  dark  tone  that  she  might  not  be  awakened 
by  the  first  ray  of  light.  She  had  even  ven- 
tured to  propose  that  the  cost  of  such  altera- 
tions be  stopped  out  of  her  salary.  Miss  Wick- 
ham  had  refused  to  countenance  any  such 
innovation. 

Three  years  before,  when  the  offending  blind 
had  refused  to  hold  together  any  longer,  Nora 
had  had  a  renewal  of  hope.  But  no !  The  new 
blind  had  been  more  glaringly  white  than  its 
predecessor,  which  by  contrast  had  taken  on  a 
grateful  ivory  tone  in  its  old  age.  They  had 
had  one  of  their  rare  scenes  at  its  advent.  Nora 
had  as  a  rule  an  admirable  control  of  her  nat- 
urally quick  temper.  But  this  had  been  too 
much. 

"  I  might  begin  to  understand  your  refusal 
if  you  ever  entered  my  room.  But  since  it 
would  no  more  occur  to  you  to  do  so  than  to 
visit  the  stables,  I  cannot  see  what  possible  dif- 
ference it  can  make,"  Nora  had  stormed. 

Miss  Wickham 's  smile,  which  at  the  begin- 
ning of  her  companion's  outburst  had  been 
faintly  ironic,  had  broadened  into  the  frankly 
humorous. 


THE  LAND  OP  PKOMISE  3 

"  Stated  with  your  characteristic  regard  for 
-exactitude,  my  dear  Miss  Marsh,  it  would  never 
enter  my  head  to  do  either.  I  prefer  the  white 
blind,  however.  As  you  know,  I  have  no  taste 
for  explanations.  We  will  let  the  matter  rest 
there,  if  you  please."  Then  she  had  added: 
"  Some  day,  I  strongly  suspect,  some  man  will 
amuse  himself  breaking  that  fiery  temper  of 
yours.  I  wish  I  were  not  so  old,  I  think  that  I 
should  enjoy  knowing  that  he  had  succeeded.'* 
And  the  incident  had  ended,  as  always,  with  a 
few  angry  tears  on  Nora's  part,  as  a  prelim- 
inary to  the  inevitable  game  of  bezique  which 
finished  off  each  happy  day! 

And  this  had  been  her  life  for  ten  years !  A 
wave  of  pity,  not  for  herself  but  for  that  young 
girl  of  eighteen  who  had  once  been  herself,  that 
proudly  confident  young  creature  who,  when 
suddenly  deprived  of  the  protection  of  her  only 
parent, — Nora's  father  had  died  when  she  was 
too  young  to  remember  him, — had  so  bravely 
faced  the  world,  serene  in  the  consciousness 
that  the  happiness  which  was  her  right  was  sure 
to  be  hers  after  a  little  waiting,  dimmed  her 
eyes  for  a  moment.  The  dreams  she  had 
dreamed  after  she  had  received  Miss  "Wick- 
ham's  letter  offering  her  the  post  of  compan- 
ion !  She  recalled  how  she  had  smiled  to  herself 
when  the  agent  with  whom  she  had  filed  her 


4  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

application  congratulated  her  warmly  on  her 
good  fortune  in  placing  herself  so  promptly, 
and,  by  way  of  benediction,  had  wished  that  she 
might  hold  the  position  for  many  years.  Many 
years  indeed!  That  had  been  no  part  of  her 
plan.  Those  nebulous  plans  had  always  been 
consistently  rose-colored.  It  was  impossible  to 
remember  them  all  now. 

Sometimes  the  unknown  Miss  Wickham 
turned  out  to  be  a  soft-hearted  and  sentimental 
old  lady  who  was  completely  won  by  her  young 
companion's  charm  and  unmistakable  air  of 
good  breeding.  After  a  short  time,  she  either 
adopted  her,  or,  on  dying,  left  her  her  entire 
fortune. 

Again,  she  proved  to  be  a  perfect  ogre.  In 
this  variation  it  was  always  the  Prince  Charm- 
ing, that  looms  large  in  every  young  girl's 
dreams,  who  finally,  after  a  brief  period  of  un- 
happiness,  came  to  the  rescue  and  everything 
ended  happily  if  somewhat  conventionally. 

The  reality  had  been  sadly  different.  Miss 
Wickham  had  disclosed  herself  as  being  a  hard, 
self-centered,  worldly  woman  who  considered 
that  in  furnishing  her  young  companion  with 
board,  lodging  and  a  salary  of  thirty  pounds  a 
year,  she  had,  to  use  a  commercial  phrase,  ob- 
tained the  option  on  her  every  waking  hour,  and 
indeed,  during  the  last  year  of  her  life,  she  had 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  5 

extended  this  option  to  cover  many  of  the  hours 
which  should  have  been  dedicated  to  rest  and 
sleep. 

All  the  fine  plans  that  the  young  Nora  had 
made  while  journeying  down  from  London  to 
Tunbridge  Wells,  for  going  on  with  her  music, 
improving  herself  in  French  and  perhaps  tak- 
ing up  another  modern  language,  in  her  leisure 
hours,  had  been  nipped  in  the  bud  before  she 
had  been  an  inmate  of  Miss  Wickham's  house 
many  days.  She  had  no  leisure  hours.  Miss 
Wickham  saw  to  that.  She  had  apparently  an 
abhorrence  for  her  own  unrelieved  society  that 
amounted  to  a  positive  mania.  She  must  never 
be  left  alone.  Let  Nora  but  escape  to  her  own 
little  room  in  the  vain  hope  of  obtaining  a  few 
moments  to  herself,  and  Kate,  the  parlor  maid, 
was  certain  to  be  sent  after  her. 

"  Miss  Wickham's  compliments  and  she  was 
waiting  to  be  read  to."  "  Miss  Wickham's 
compliments,  but  did  Miss  Marsh  know  that 
the  horses  were  at  the  door?  "  "  Miss  Wick- 
ham's compliments,  and  should  she  have  Kate 
set  out  the  backgammon  board?  " 

And  upon  the  rare  occasions  when  there  was 
company  in  the  house,  Miss  Wickham's  ingenu- 
ity in  providing  occupation  for  dear  Miss 
Marsh,  while  she  was  herself  occupied  with  her 
friends,  was  inexhaustible.  In  an  evil  hour 


6  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Nora  had  confessed  to  a  modest  talent  for  wash- 
ing lace.  Miss  Wickham,  it  developed,  had  a 
really  fine  collection  of  beautiful  pieces  which 
naturally  required  the  most  delicate  handling. 
Their  need  for  being  washed  was  oddly  coin- 
cident with  the  moment  when  the  expected  guest 
arrived  at  the  door. 

Or,  it  appeared  that  the  slugs  had  attacked 
the  rose  trees  in  unusual  numbers.  The  gar- 
dener was  in  despair  as  he  was  already  behind 
with  setting  out  the  annuals.  "  Would  Miss 
Marsh  mind  while  Miss  Wickham  had  her  little 
after-luncheon  nap—  —I  '  Miss  Marsh  did 
mind.  She  loved  flowers;  to  arrange  them  was 
a  delight — at  least  it  had  been  once — but  she- 
hated  slugs.  But  she  was  too  young  and  too 
inexperienced  to  know  how  to  combat  the  sub- 
tle encroachments  upon  her  own  time  made  by 
this  selfish  old  woman.  And  so,  gradually,  she 
had  found  that  she  was  not  only  companion,  but 
a  sort  of  superior  lady's  maid  and  assistant 
gardener  as  well.  And  all  for  thirty  pounds  a 
year  and  her  keep. 

And  alas!  Prince  Charming  had  never  ap- 
peared, unless — Nora  laughed  aloud  at  the 
thought — he  had  disguised  himself  with  a  clev- 
erness defying  detection.  With  Reginald 
Hornby,  a  callow  youth,  the  son  of  Miss  Wick- 
ham's  dearest  friend,  who  occasionally  made 


THE  LAND  OF  PBOMISE  7 

the  briefest  of  duty  visits;  Mr.  Wynne,  the 
family  solicitor,  an  elderly  bachelor;  and  the 
doctor's  assistant,  a  young  person  by  the  name 
of  Gard,  Nora's  list  of  eligible  men  was  com- 
plete. There  had  been  a  time  when  Nora  had 
flirted  with  the  idea  of  escaping  from  bondage 
by  becoming  the  wife  of  young  Gard. 

He  was  a  rather  common  young  man,  but  he 
had  been  sincerely  in  love  with  her.  He  was 
not  sufficiently  subtle  to  recognize  that  it  was 
the  idea  of  escaping  from  Miss  Wickham  and 
the  deadly  monotony  of  her  days  that  tempted 
her.  He  had  laid  his  case  before  Miss  Wick- 
ham.  There  had  been  some  terrible  scenes. 
Nora  had  felt  the  lash  of  her  employer's  bitter 
tongue.  Partly  because  she  was  still  smarting 
from  the  attack,  and  partly  because  she  was 
indignant  with  her  suitor  for  having  gone  to 
•Miss  Wickham  at  all  and  particularly  without 
consulting  her,  she,  too,  had  turned  on  the  un- 
fortunate young  man.  There  had  been  mutual 
recriminations  and  reproaches,  and  young 
Gard,  after  his  brief  and  bitter  experience  with 
the  gentry,  had  left  the  vicinity  of  Tunbridge 
Wells  and  later  on  married  a  girl  of  his  own 
class. 

But  Miss  Wickham  had  been  more  shaken  at 
the  prospect  of  losing  her  young  companion, 
who  was  so  thoroughly  broken  in,  than  she 


8  THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

would  have  liked  to  have  confessed.  She  de- 
tested new  faces  about  her,  and  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  she  came  as  nearly  caring  for  Nora  as  it 
was  possible  for  her  to  care  for  any  human 
being.  She  had  told  the  girl  then  that  it  was 
her  intention  to  make  some  provision  for  her 
at  her  death,  so  that  she  might  have  a  decent 
competence  and  not  be  obliged  to  look  for  an- 
other position.  There  was,  of  course,  the  im- 
plied understanding  that  she  would  remain 
with  Miss  Wickham  until  that  lady  was  sum- 
moned to  a  better  and  brighter  world,  a  step 
which  Miss  Wickham,  herself,  was  in  no  im- 
mediate hurry  to  take.  In  the  meantime,  she 
knew  perfectly  well  just  how  often  a  pro- 
spective legacy  could  be  dangled  before  ex- 
pectant eyes  with  perfect  delicacy. 

It  furnished  her  with  an  additional  weapon, 
too,  against  her  nephew,  James  Wickham,  and 
his  wife,  both  of  whom  she  cordially  detested, 
although  she  fully  intended  leaving  them  the 
bulk  of  her  fortune.  The  consideration  and 
tenderness  she  showed  toward  Nora  when  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wickham  ran  down  from  London  to 
see  their  dear  aunt  showed  a  latent  talent  for 
comedy,  on  the  part  of  the  chief  actress,  of  no 
mean  order.  These  occasions  left  Nora  in  a 
state  of  mind  in  which  exasperation  and  amuse- 
ment were  about  equally  blended.  It  was 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  9 

amusing  to  note  the  signs  of  apprehension  on 
the  part  of  Miss  Wickham's  disagreeable  rela- 
tives as  they  noted  their  aunt's  doting  fondness 
for  her  hired  companion.  And  while  she  felt 
that  they  richly  deserved  this  little  punish- 
ment, it  was  humiliating  to  be  so  cynically  made 
use  of. 

And  now  it  was  all  over.  After  a  year  of 
illness  and  gradual  decline  the  end  had  come 
two  days  before.  Nothing  could  induce  Miss 
Wickham  to  have  a  professional  nurse.  The 
long  strain  and  weeks  of  broken  rest  had  told 
even  on  Nora's  strength.  Kindly  Dr.  Evans 
had  insisted  that  she  be  put  immediately  to  bed 
and  Kate,  the  parlor  maid,  who  had  always 
been  devoted  to  her,  had  undressed  her  as  if 
she  had  been  a  baby.  For  the  last  two  days 
she  had  done  little  but  sleep  the  dreamless  sleep 
of  utter  exhaustion.  And  to-day  was  the  day 
of  the  funeral.  She  was  just  about  to  ring  to 
find  the  time,  when  Kate's  gentle  knock  came 
at  the  door. 

"  Come  in.  Good  morning,  Kate.  Do  tell 
me  the  time.  Oh!  How  good  it  is  to  be  lazy 
once  in  a  while." 

"  Good  morning  to  you,  Miss.  I  hope  you're 
feeling  a  bit  rested.  It 's  just  gone  eleven.  Dr. 
Evans  has  called,  Miss.  He  told  me  to  see  if 
you  had  waked. ' ' 


10 

"  How  good  of  him.  Ask  him  to  wait  a  few 
moments  and  I'll  come  right  down."  '  Com- 
ing right  down  >  was  not  so  easy  a  matter  as 
she  had  thought.  Nora  found  herself  strangely 
weak  and  languid.  She  was  still  sitting  on  the 
edge  of  her  bed,  trying  to  gather  energy  for 
the  task  of  dressing,  when  Kate  returned. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Miss,  but  Dr.  Evans 
says  you're  not  to  get  up  until  he  sees  you. 
I'm  to  bring  you  a  bit  of  toast  and  your  tea 
and  to  help  you  freshen  up  a  bit  and  then  he 
will  come  up  in  twenty  minutes.  He  says  to 
tell  you  that  he  has  plenty  of  time." 

Nora  made  a  show  of  protest.  Secretly  she 
was  rather  glad  to  give  in.  She  had  not  reck- 
oned with  the  weakness  following  two  unac- 
customed days  in  bed.  Dr.  Evans  was  a  kindly 
elderly  man,  whose  one  affectation  was  the 
gruffness  which  the  country  doctor  of  the  old 
school  so  often  assumes  as  if  he  wished  to  em- 
phasize his  disapproval  of  the  modern  suave 
manner  of  his  city  confrere.  He  had  a  sardonic 
humor  and  a  sharp  tongue  which  had  at  first 
quite  terrified  Nora,  until  she  discovered  that 
they  were  meant  to  hide  the  most  generous 
heart  in  the  world.  Many  were  the  kindly  acts 
he  performed  in  secret  for  the  very  people  he 
was  most  accustomed  to  abuse. 

Having  felt  Nora's  pulse  and  looked  at  her 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  11 

sharply  with  his  keen  gray  eyes,  he  settled  the 
question  of  her  attendance  at  Miss  "Wickham's 
funeral  with  his  accustomed  finality. 

"  You'll  do  nothing  of  the  sort,"  he  growled. 
"  You  may  get  up  after  a  while  and  go  and 
sit  in  the  garden  a  bit ;  the  air  is  fairly  spring- 
like. But  this  afternoon  you  must  lie  down 
again  for  an  hour  or  two.  I  suppose  you'll 
have  to  get  up  to  do  the  civil  for  James  Wick- 
ham  and  his  wife  before  they  go  back  to  town. 
Oh,  no !  they'll  not  stay  the  night.  They'll  rush 
back  as  fast  as  the  train  will  take  them,  once 
they've  heard  the  will  read.  Couldn't  bear  the 
associations  with  the  place,  now  that  their  dear 
aunt  has  departed!  "  He  gave  one  of  his  sar- 
donic chuckles. 

"  It  may  be  nonsense  '!  —this  in  reply  to 
Nora's  remonstrance — "  but  I'm  not  going  to 
have  you  on  my  hands  next.  You'll  go  to  that 
funeral  and  get  hysterical  like  all  women,  and 
begin  to  think  that  you  wish  her  back.  I  should 
think  this  last  year  would  have  been  about  all 
anyone  would  want.  But  you're  a  poor  senti- 
mental creature,  after  all,"  he  jeered. 

"I'm  nothing  of  the  sort.  But  I  did  feel 
sorry  for  her,  badly  as  she  often  treated  me. 
She  was  a  desperately  lonely  old  soul.  Nobody 
cared  a  bit  about  her,  really,  and  she  knew  it. ' ' 

"  In  spite  of  all  her  little  amiable  tricks  to 


12  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

make  people  love  her,"  said  the  doctor.  "  Now, 
remember,  the  garden  for  an  hour  this  morn- 
ing, the  drawing-room  later  in  the  day,  after 
you've  rested  for  an  hour  or  so.  And  don't 
dare  disobey  me."  With  that,  he  left. 

It  was  pleasant  in  the  garden.  The  air, 
though  chilly,  held  the  promise  of  spring. 
Warmly  wrapped  in  an  old  cape,  which  the 
thoughtful  Kate  had  discovered  somewhere, 
with  a  book  on  Paris  and  some  Italian  sketches 
to  fall  back  upon  when  her  own  thoughts  ceased 
to  divert  her,  Nora  sat  in  a  sheltered  corner 
and  looked  out  on  the  border  which  would  soon 
be  gay  with  the  tulips  whose  green  stocks  were 
just  beginning  to  push  themselves  up  through 
the  brown  earth.  Poor  Miss  Wickham!  She 
had  been  so  proud  of  her  garden  always.  But 
for  her  it  had  bloomed  for  the  last  time.  Would 
the  James  Wickhams  take  as  much  pride  in  it? 
Somehow,  she  fancied  not.  And  she?  Where 
would  she  be  a  year  from  now?  A  year! 
Where  would  she  be  in  another  month? 

The  whole  world,  in  a  modest  sense,  would 
be  hers  to  choose  from.  While  she  had  no 
definite  notion  as  to  the  amount  of  her  legacy, 
she  had  understood  that  it  would  bring  in  suf- 
ficient income  to  keep  her  from  the  necessity 
of  seeking  further  employment.  Probably 
something  between  two  and  three  hundred 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  13 

pounds  a  year.  She  had  always  longed  to 
travel.  Italy,  France,  Germany,  Spain,  she 
would  see  them  all.  One  could  live  very  rea- 
sonably in  really  good  pensions  abroad,  she  had 
been  told. 

And  then,  some  day,  after  a  few  years  of 
happy  wandering,  she  might  adventure  to  that 
far-off  Canada  where  her  only  brother  was 
living  the  life  of  a  frontiersman  on  an  incredi- 
bly huge  farm.  She  had  not  seen  him  for  many 
years,  but  her  heart  warmed  at  the  thought  of 
seeing  her  only  relative  again.  He  was  much 
older.  Yes,  Eddie  must  now  be  about  forty. 
Oh,  all  of  that.  She,  herself,  was  almost  twenty- 
eight.  But  she  wouldn't  go  to  him  for  several 
years.  He  had  done  one  thing  which  seemed 
to  her  quite  dreadful.  He  had  made  an  un- 
fortunate marriage  with  a  woman  far  beneath 
him  socially.  Men  were  so  weak !  Because  they 
fancied  themselves  lonely,  or  even  captivated 
by  a  pretty  face,  they  were  willing  to  make  im- 
possible marriages.  Women  were  different. 
Still,  she  had  the  grace  to  blush  when  she  re- 
called the  episode  of  the  doctor's  assistant. 

Yes,  she  would  go  out  to  Eddie  after  his  wife 
had  had  the  chance  to  form  herself  a  little  more. 
Living  with  a  husband  so  much  superior  was 
bound  to  have  its  influence.  And  she  must  have 
some  really  good  qualities  at  bottom  or  she! 


14 

could  never  have  attracted  him.  There  was 
nothing  vicious  about  her  brother.  She  must 
write  him  of  Miss  Wickham's  death.  They 
were  neither  of  them  fond  of  writing.  It  must 
be  nearly  a  year  since  she  had  heard  from  him 
last.  And  then,  it  was  so  difficult  to  keep  up  a 
correspondence  when  people  had  no  mutual 
friends  and  so  little  in  common. 

A  glance  at  her  watch  told  her  that  it  must 
be  nearly  time  for  the  London  Wickhams  to 
arrive.  It  would  be  better  not  to  see  them,  un- 
less they  sent  for  her,  until  after  they  had  re- 
turned from  the  cemetery.  They  were  just  the 
sort  of  people  to  think  that  she  was  forgetting 
her  position  if  she  had  the  manner  of  playing 
hostess  by  receiving  them.  Thank  goodness! 
she  would  probably  never  see  them  again  after 
to-day. 

With  a  word  to  Kate  that  she  would  presently 
have  her  luncheon  in  her  room  and  then  rest  for 
a  few  hours  until  the  people  returned  after  the 
funeral,  she  made  her  way  to  her  own  bare  little 
room.  How  cold  and  bare  it  was!  With  the 
exception  of  the  framed  pictures  of  her  father 
and  mother  and  a  small  photograph  of  Eddie, 
taken  before  he  had  gone  out,  there  was  nothing 
but  the  absolutely  necessary  furniture.  Miss 
Wickham's  ideas  of  what  a  '  companion's  ' 
room  should  be  like  had  partaken  of  the  aus- 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE  15 

tere.  And  all  the  rest  of  the  house  was  so 
crowded  and  overloaded  with  things.  The 
drawing-room  had  always  been  an  eyesore  to 
Xora,  crammed  as  it  was  with  little  tables  and 
cabinets  containing  china.  And  in  every  avail- 
able space  there  were  porcelain  ornaments  and 
photographs  in  huge  silver  frames.  It  was  all 
like  a  badly  arranged  museum  or  a  huddled 
little  curio  shop.  Well,  she  would  soon  be  done 
with  that,  too ! 

Armed  with  her  portfolio  and  writing  ma- 
terials Xora  returned  to  the  guest  chamber, 
which  was  her  temporary  abode.  The  motherly 
Kate  was  waiting  with  an  appetizing  lunch  on 
a  neat  tray.  What  a  good  friend  she  had  been. 
She  would  be  genuinely  sorry  to  part  with  Kate. 
She  must  ask  her  to  give  her  some  address  that 
would  always  reach  her.  Who  knew,  years 
hence  when  she  returned  to  England,  but  what 
she  might  afford  to  set  up  a  modest  flat  with 
Kate  to  manage  things  for  her.  She  would 
speak  to  her  on  the  morrow — after  the  will  was 
read. 

"  Ah,  Kate,  you  knew  just  what  would  tempt 
me.  Thank  you  so  much!  By  the  way,  has 
Miss  Pringle  sent  any  message?  ' 

••  Yes,  Miss.  Miss  Pringle  stopped  on  her 
way  to  the  village  a  moment  ago.  She  was  with 
Mrs.  Hubbard  and  had  only  a  moment.  I  was 


16  THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

to  tell  you  that  she  would  call  this  afternoon 
and  hoped  you  could  see  her.  I  told  her,  Miss, 
that  the  doctor  had  said  you  were  not  to  go  to 
the  burial.  She  will  come  while  they  are  away. ' ' 

"  Let  me  know  the  moment  she  comes.  I 
want  to  see  her  very  much." 

Miss  Pringle  was  the  only  woman  friend 
Nora  had  made  in  the  years  of  her  sojourn  at 
Tunbridge  Wells.  They  had  little  in  common 
beyond  the  fellow-feeling  that  binds  those  in 
bondage.  Miss  Pringle  was  also  a  companion. 
Her  task  mistress,  Mrs.  Hubbard,  was  in  Nora's 
opinion,  about  as  stolidly  brainless  as  a  woman 
could  well  be.  Miss  Pringle  was  always  laud- 
ing her  kindness.  But  then  Miss  Pringle  had 
been  a  companion  to  various  rich  women  for 
thirty  years.  Nora  had  her  own  ideas  as  to 
the  value  of  the  opinions  of  any  woman  who 
had  been  in  slavery  for  thirty  years. 

Having  eaten  her  luncheon  and  written  her 
letter  to  her  brother,  she  felt  glad  to  rest  once 
more.  How  wise  the  doctor  had  been  to  forbid 
her  to  go  to  the  funeral,  and  how  grateful  she 
was  that  he  had  forbidden  it,  was  her  last 
waking  thought. 


CHAPTER  II 

IT  was  well  on  to  three  o'clock  when  Miss 
Pringle  made  her  careful  way  up  the  path  that 
led  to  the  late  Miss  Wickham's  door. 

"  How  strange  it  will  be  not  to  find  her  in 
her  own  drawing-room!  "  she  reflected.  "  I 
don't  recall  that  Nora  Marsh  and  I  have  ever 
been  alone  together  for  two  consecutive  minutes 
in  our  lives.  I  simply  couldn't  have  stood  it." 

"  I'll  tell  Miss  Marsh  you're  here,  Miss  Prin- 
gle," said  Kate,  at  the  door. 

"  How  is  she  to-day,  Kate?  " 

"  Still  tired  out,  poor  thing.  The  doctor 
made  her  promise  to  lie  down  directly  after 
she  had  had  a  bite  of  luncheon.  But  she  said 
I  was  to  let  her  know  the  moment  you  came, 
Miss." 

"I'm  very  glad  she  didn't  go  to  the  funeral." 

"  Dr.  Evans  simply  wouldn't  hear  of  it, 
Miss." 

1  i  I  wonder  how  she  stood  it  all  these  months, 
waiting  on  Miss  Wickham  hand  and  foot.  She 
should  have  been  made  to  have  a  professional 
nurse." 

"  It  wasn't  very  easy  to  make  Miss  Wickham 

17 


18  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

have  anything  she  had  made  up  her  mind  not  to, 
you  know  that,  Miss, ' '  said  Kate  as  she  led  the 
way  to  the  drawing-room.  "  Miss  Marsh  slept 
in  Miss  Wickham 's  room  towards  the  last,  and 
the  moment  she  fell  asleep  Miss  Wickham  would 
have  her  up  because  her  pillow  wanted  shaking 
or  she  was  thirsty,  or  something." 

"  I  suppose  she  was  vefy  inconsiderate." 

Miss  Pringle  did  not  in  general  approve  of 
discussing  things  with  servants.  But  Nora  had 
told  her  frequently  how  faithfully  Kate  looked 
after  her  and,  as  far  as  it  was  possible,  made 
things  bearable,  so  she  felt  she  could  make  an 
•exception  of  her. 

"  Inconsiderate  isn't  the  word,  Miss.  I 
wouldn't  be  a  lady's  companion,"  Kate  paused, 
her  hand  on  the  doorknob,  to  make  a  sweeping 
gesture,  "  not  for  anything.  What  they  have 
to  put  up  with !  ' ' 

11  Everyone  isn't  like  Miss  Wickham,"  said 
Miss  Pringle,  a  trifle  sharply.  "  The  lady  I'm 
companion  to,  Mrs.  Hubbard,  is  kindness  it- 
self." 

"  That  sounds  like  Miss  Marsh  coming  down 
the  stairs  now,"  said  Kate,  opening  the  door. 
"  Miss  Pringle  is  here,  Miss." 

As  Kate  closed  the  door  behind  her,  Nora 
advanced  to  meet  her  friend  from  the  doorway 
with  her  pretty  smile  and  outstretched  hand. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  19 

Miss  Pringle  kissed  her  warmly  and  then  drew 
her  down  on  a  large  sofa  by  her  side.  Her 
glance  had  a  certain  note  of  disapproval  as  it 
took  in  her  friend's  black  dress,  which  did  not 
escape  that  observant  young  person. 

"  I  was  so  glad  to  hear  you  were  coming  to 
me  this  afternoon ;  it  is  good  of  you.  How  did 
you  escape  the  dragon?  " 

She  had  long  ago  nicknamed  the  excellent 
Mrs.  Hubbard  '  the  dragon  '  simply  to  tease 
Miss  Pringle. 

"  Mrs.  Hubbard  has  gone  for  a  drive  with 
somebody  or  other  and  didn't  want  me,"  said 
Miss  Pringle  primly.  "  You  haven't  been  cry- 
ing, Nora?  " 

"  Yes,  I  couldn't  help  it.  My  dear,  it's  not 
unnatural." 

Miss  Pringle  dropped  the  hand  she  had 
been  stroking  to  clasp  both  her  own  over  the 
handle  of  her  umbrella.  "  Well,  I  don't 
like  to  say  anything  against  her  now 
she's  dead,  poor  thing,  but  Miss  Wickham 
was  the  most  detestable  old  woman  I  ever 
met." 

"  Still,"  said  Nora  slowly,  looking  toward 
the  French  window  which  opened  on  the  garden, 
at  the  sun  streaming  through  the  drawn  blinds, 
"  I  don't  suppose  one  can  live  so  long  with 
anyone  and  not  be  a  little  sorry  to  part  with 


20  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

them  forever.  I  was  Miss  Wickham's  compan- 
ion for  ten  years." 

"  How  you  stood  it!  Exacting,  domineering, 
disagreeable!  " 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  she  was.  Because  she  paid 
me  a  salary,  she  thought  I  wasn't  a  human  be- 
ing. I  certainly  never  knew  anyone  with  such 
a  bitter  tongue.  At  first  I  used  to  cry  every 
night  when  I  went  to  bed  because  of  the  things 
she  said  to  me.  But  I  got  used  to  them." 

"  I  wonder  you  didn't  leave  her.  I  would 
have."  Miss  Pringle  attempting  to  delude  her- 
self with  the  idea  that  she  was  a  mettlesome, 
high-spirited  person  who  would  stand  no  non- 
sense, was  immensely  diverting  to  Nora.  To 
hide  an  irrepressible  smile,  she  went  over  to 
a  bowl  of  roses  which  stood  on  one  of  the  little 
tables  and  pretended  to  busy  herself  with  their 
rearrangement. 

"  Posts  as  lady's  companions  are  not  so  easy 
to  find,  I  fancy.  At  least  I  remember  that  when 
I  got  this  one  I  was  thought  to  be  extremely 
lucky  not  to  have  to  wait  twice  as  long.  I  don't 
imagine  things  have  bettered  much  in  our  line, 
do  you?  " 

"  That  they  have  not,"  rejoined  Miss  Prin- 
gle gloomily.  "  They  tell  me  the  agents'  books 
are  full  of  people  wanting  situations.  Before 
I  went  to  Mrs.  Hubbard  I  was  out  of  one  for 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  21 

nearly  two  years."  Her  voice  shook  a  little  at 
the  recollection.  Her  poor,  tired,  weather- 
beaten  face  quivered  as  if  she  were  about  to  cry. 

"  It's  not  so  bad  for  you,"  said  Nora  sooth- 
ingly. *  *  You  can  always  go  and  stay  with  your 
brother." 

"  You've  a  brother,  too." 

"  Ah,  yes.  But  he's  farming  in  Canada.  He 
has  all  he  could  do  to  keep  himself.  He  couldn't 
keep  me,  too." 

' '  How  is  he  doing  now?  ' '  asked  Miss  Pringle, 
to  whom  any  new  topic  of  conversation  was  of 
interest.  She  had  so  little  opportunity  for  con- 
versation at  the  irreproachable  Mrs.  Hubbard  's, 
that  lady  having  apparently  inherited  a  limited 
set  of  ideas  from  her  late  husband,  *  as  Mr. 
Hubbard  used  to  say  '  being  her  favorite  intro- 
duction to  any  topic.  Miss  Pringle  saw  herself 
making  quite  a  little  success  at  dinner  that 
night — there  was  to  be  a  guest,  she  believed — 
by  saying:  "  A  friend  of  mine  has  just  been 
telling  me  of  the  success  her  brother  is  having 
way  out  in  Canada."  "  He  is  getting  on?  ' 
she  asked  encouragingly. 

"  Oh,  he's  doing  very  well.  He's  got  a  farm 
of  his  own.  He  wrote  over  a  few  years  ago  and 
told  me  he  could  always  give  me  a  home  if  I 
wanted  one." 

"  Canada's  so  far  off,"  observed  Miss  Prin- 


22  THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

gle  deprecatingly.  Her  tone  seemed  to  imply 
that  there  were  other  disadvantages  which  she 
would  refrain  from  mentioning. 

Now  while  Nora  had  always  had  the  same 
vague  feeling  that  Canada,  in  addition  to  being 
an  immense  distance  off,  was  not  quite,  well, 
it  wasn't  England — that  was  indisputable — she 
found  herself  unreasonably  irritated  by  her 
friend's  tone. 

11  Not  when  you  get  there,"  she  replied 
sharply. 

Miss  Pringle  evidently  deemed  it  best  to 
change  the  subject.  "  Why  don't  you  draw  the 
blinds  ?  ' '  she  asked  after  a  moment. 

"It  is  horrid,  isn't  it?  But  somehow  I 
thought  I  ought  to  wait  till  they  came  back  from 
the  funeral.  But  just  see  the  sunlight ;  it  must 
be  beautiful  out  of  doors.  Why  don't  we  walk 
about  in  the  garden?  Do  you  care  for  a  wrap? 
I'll  send  Kate  to  fetch  you  something,  if  you 
do." 

Miss  Pringle  having  decided  that  her  coat 
was  sufficiently  warm  if  they  did  not  sit  any- 
where too  long  and  just  walked  in  the  paths 
where  it  was  sure  not  to  be  damp,  they  went 
out  of  the  gloomy  drawing-room  into  the 
bright  afternoon  sunshine. 

"  Don't  you  love  a  garden  when  things  are 
just  beginning  to  show  their  heads?  I  some- 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE  23 

times  think  that  spring  is  the  most  beautiful  of 
all  the  seasons.  It's  like  watching  the  birth 
of  a  new  world.  I  think  the  most  human  thing 
about  poor  Miss  Wickham  was  her  fondness  for 
flowers.  She  always  said  she  hoped  she'd  never 
die  in  winter." 

To  Miss  Pringle,  the  note  of  regret  which 
crept  now  and  again  into  Nora's  voice  when 
she  spoke  of  her  late  employer  was  a  continual 
source  of  bewilderment.  Here  was  a  woman 
who  she  knew  had  a  quick  temper  and  a  pas- 
sionate nature  speaking  as  if  she  actually  sor- 
rowed for  the  tyrant  who  had  so  frequently 
made  her  life  unbearable.  She  was  sure  that 
she  couldn't  have  felt  more  grieved  if  Provi- 
dence had  seen  fit  to  remove  the  excellent  Mrs. 
Hubbard  from  the  scene  of  her  earthly  activi- 
ties. Poor  Miss  Pringle!  She  did  not  realize 
that  after  thirty  years  of  a  life  passed  as  a 
hired  companion  that  she  no  longer  possessed 
either  sensibility  or  the  power  of  affection.  To 
her,  one  employer  would  be  very  like  another 
so  long  as  they  were  fairly  considerate  and  not 
too  unreasonable.  It  would  be  tiresome,  to  be 
sure,  to  have  to  learn  the  little  likes  and  dis- 
likes of  Mrs.  Hubbard 's  successor.  But  what 
would  you?  Life  was  filled  with  tiresome  mo- 
ments. Poor  Miss  Pringle! 

Her  next  remark  was  partly  to  make  con- 


24  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

versation  and  partly  because  she  might  obtain 
further  light  upon  this  perplexing  subject.  She 
made  a  mental  note  that  she  must  not  forget  to 
speak  to  Mrs.  Hubbard  of  Nora's  grief  over 
Miss  Wickham's  death.  Naturally,  she  would 
be  gratified. 

11  Well,  it  must  be  a  great  relief  to  you  now 
it's  all  over,"  she  said. 

"  Sometimes  I  can't  realize  it,"  said  Nora 
simply.  "  These  last  few  weeks  I  hardly  got 
to  bed  at  all,  and  when  the  end  came  I  was 
utterly  exhausted.  For  two  days  I  have  done 
nothing  but  sleep.  Poor  Miss  Wickham.  She 
did  hate  dying." 

Miss  Pringle  had  a  sort  of  triumph.  She  had 
proved  her  point.  Even  Mrs.  Hubbard  could 
not  doubt  it  now!  "  That's  the  extraordinary 
part  of  it.  I  believe  you  were  really  fond  of 
her." 

"  Do  you  know  that  for  nearly  a  year  she 
would  eat  nothing  but  what  I  gave  her  with  my 
own  hands.  And  she  liked  me  as  much  as  she 
was  capable  of  liking  anybody." 

' '  That  wasn  't  much, ' '  Miss  Pringle  permitted 
herself. 

"  And  then  I  was  so  dreadfully  sorry  for 
her." 

"  Good  heavens!  " 

"  She'd  been  a  hard  and  selfish  woman  all 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  25 

her  life,  and  there  was  no  one  who  cared  for 
her,"  Nora  went  on  passionately.  "  It  seemed 
so  dreadful  to  die  like  that  and  leave  not  a  soul 
to  regret  one.  Her  nephew  and  his  wife  were 
just  waiting  for  her  death.  It  was  dreadful. 
Each  time  they  came  down  from  London  I  could 
see  them  looking  at  her  to  see  if  she  was  any 
worse  than  when  last  they'd  seen  her." 

"  Well,"  said  Miss  Pringle  with  a  sort  of 
spendid  defiance,  "  I  thought  her  a  horrid  old 
woman,  and  I'm  glad  she's  dead.  And  I  only 
hope  she 's  left  you  well  provided  for. ' ' 

"  Oh,  I  think  she's  done  that,"  Nora  smiled 
happily  into  her  friend's  face.  "  Yes,  I  can  be 
quite  sure  of  that,  I  fancy.  Two  years  ago, 
when  I — when  I  nearly  went  away,  she  said 
she  'd  left  me  enough  to  live  on. ' ' 

They  walked  on  for  a  moment  or  two  in  si- 
lence until  they  had  reached  the  end  of  the 
path,  where  there  was  a  little  arbor  in  which 
Miss  Wickham  had  been  in  the  habit  of  having 
her  tea  afternoons  when  the  weather  permitted. 

"  Do  you  think  we  would  run  any  risk  if  we 
sat  down  here  a  few  moments  ?  Suppose  we  try 
it.  We  can  walk  again  if  you  feel  in  the  least 
chilled.  I  think  the  view  so  lovely  from  here. 
Besides,  I  can  see  the  carriage  the  moment  it 
enters  the  gate." 

Miss  Pringle  sat  down  with  the  air  of  a  per- 


26  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

son  who  was  hardly  conscious  of  what  she  was 
doing. 

* '  You  say  she  told  you  she  had  left  you  some- 
thing when  you  nearly  went  away, ' '  she  went  on 
in  the  hesitating  manner  of  one  who  has  been 
interrupted  while  reading  aloud  and  is  not  quite 
sure  that  she  has  resumed  at  the  right  place. 
"  You  mean  when  that  assistant  of  Dr.  Evans 
wanted  to  marry  you?  I'm  glad  you  wouldn't 
have  him. ' ' 

"  He  was  very  kind  and — and  nice,"  said 
Nora  gently.  "  But,  of  course,  he  wasn't  a  gen- 
tleman." 

"  I  shouldn't  like  to  live  with  a  man  at  all," 
retorted  Miss  Pringle,  with  unshakable  convic- 
tion. "  I  think  they're  horrid;  but  of  course 
it  would  be  utterly  impossible  if  he  weren't  a 
gentleman. ' ' 

Nora's  eyes  twinkled  with  amusement;  she 
gave  a  little  gurgle  of  laughter.  "  He  came  to 
see  Miss  Wickham,  but  she  wouldn't  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  him.  First,  she  said  she 
couldn't  spare  me,  and  then  she  said  that  I  had 
a  very  bad  temper. ' ' 

"  I  like  her  saying  that,"  retorted  her  lis- 
tener. 

"  It's  quite  true,"  said  Nora  with  a  depre- 
cating wave  of  her  hand.  "  Every  now  and 
then  I  felt  I  couldn't  put  up  with  her  any  more. 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE  27 

I  forgot  that  I  was  dependent  on  her,  and  that 
if  she  dismissed  me,  I  probably  shouldn't  be 
able  to  find  another  situation,  and  I  just  flew 
at  her.  I  must  say  she  was  very  nice  about  it; 
she  used  to  look  at  me  and  grin,  and  when  it  was 
all  over,  say:  *  My  dear,  when  you  marry,  if 
your  husband  '&  a  wise  man,  he  '11  use  a  big  stick 
now  and  then.'  " 

"  Old  cat!  " 

"  I  should  like  to  see  any  man  try  it,"  said 
Nora  with  emphasis. 

Miss  Pringle  dismissed  the  supposition  with 
a  wave  of  her  hand.  ' '  How  much  do  you  think 
she's  left  you?  "  she  asked  eagerly. 

"  Well,  of  course  I  don't  know;  the  will  is 
going  to  be  read  this  afternoon,  when  they  come 
back  from  the  funeral.  But  from  what  she  said, 
I  believe  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
a  year." 

"  It's  the  least  she  could  do.  She's  had  the 
ten  best  years  of  your  life. ' '  Nora  gave  a  long, 
happy  sigh.  "  Just  think  of  it!  Never  to  be 
at  anybody's  beck  and  call  again.  I  shall  be 
able  to  get  up  when  I  like  and  go  to  bed  when 
I  like,  go  out  when  I  choose  and  come  in  when 
I  choose.  Think  of  what  that  means!  " 

"  Unless  you  marry — you  probably  will," 
said  Miss  Pringle  in  a  discouraging  tone. 

11  Never." 


28  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  What  do  you  purpose  doing?  " 

"  I  shall  go  to  Italy,  Florence,  Eome;  oh, 
everywhere  I've  so  longed  to  go.  Do  you  think 
it's  horrible  of  me?  I'm  so  happy!  " 

"•My  dear  child!  "  said  Miss  Pringle  with 
real  feeling. 

At  that  moment  the  sound  of  carriage  wheels 
came  to  them.  Turning  quickly,  Nora  saw  the 
carriage  containing  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wickham 
coming  up  the  drive.  "  There  they  are  now. 
How  the  time  has  gone !  ' ' 

"I'd  better  go,  hadn't  I?  "  said  Miss  Pringle 
with  manifest  reluctance. 

"I'm  afraid  you  must:  I'm  sorry." 

"  Couldn't  I  go  up  to  your  room  and  wait 
there  ?  I  do  so  want  to  know  about  the  will. ' ' 

Nora  hesitated  a  moment.  She  didn't  want 
to  take  Miss  Pringle  up  to  her  bare  little  room. 
A  sort  of  loyalty  to  the  woman  who  was,  after 
all,  to  be  her  benefactress — for  was  she  not, 
after  all,  with  her  legacy,  going  to  make  the 
happy  future  pay  rich  interest  for  the  unhappy 
past? — made  her  reluctant  to  let  anyone  know 
how  poorly  she  had  been  lodged. 

"  No,"  she  said;  "  I'll  tell  you  what,  stay 
here  in  the  garden.  They  want  to  catch  the 
four- something  back  to  London.  And,  later,  we 
can  have  a  cozy  little  tea  all  by  ourselves." 

"  Very  well.    Oh,  my  dear,"  said  Miss  Prin- 


gle  with  emotion,  "  I'm  so  sincerely  happy  in 
your  good  luck !  ' ' 

Nora  was  genuinely  moved.  She  leaned  over 
and  kissed  Miss  Pringle,  her  eyes  filling  with 
quick  tears. 

Then  she  went  into  the  house.  The  Wick- 
hams  were  already  in  the  drawing-room.  Mrs. 
James  Wickham  was  a  pretty  young  woman,  a 
good  ten  years  younger  than  her  unattractive 
husband.  Of  the  two,  Nora  preferred  Mr.  Wick- 
ham. There  was  a  certain  cynicism  about  her 
insincerity  which  his,  somehow,  lacked.  Even 
now,  they  wore  their  rue  with  a  difference. 

Mrs.  Wickham 's  mourning  was  as  correct  and 
elegant  as  a  fashionable  dressmaker  could  make 
it ;  the  very  latest  thing  in  grief.  Mr.  Wickham 
was  far  less  sumptuous.  Beyond  the  custom- 
ary band  on  his  hat  and  a  pair  of  black  gloves 
conspicuously  new,  he  had  apparently  made 
little  expenditure  on  his  costume.  As  Nora 
entered,  Mrs.  Wickham  was  pulling  off  her 
gloves. 

"  How  do  you  do?'1  she  said  carelessly. 
"  Ouf !  Do  put  the  blinds  up,  Miss  Marsh. 
Eeally,  we  needn't  be  depressed  any  more. 
Jim,  if  you  love  me,  take  those  gloves  off. 
They're  perfectly  revolting." 

' l  Why,  what 's  wrong  with  them  !  The  fellow 
in  the  shop  told  me  they  were  the  right  thing. ' ' 


50  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  No  doubt;  I  never  saw  anyone  look  quite 
so  funereal  as  you  do." 

11  Well,"  retorted  her  husband,  "  you  didn't 
want  me  to  get  myself  up  as  if  I  were  going  to 
a  wedding,  did  you?  " 

"  Were  there  many  people?  "  said  Nora 
hastily. 

The  insolence  of  Mrs.  Wickham's  glance  was 
scarcely  veiled. 

11  Oh,  quite  a  lot,"  she  drawled.  "  The  sort 
of  people  who  indulge  in  other  peoples '  funerals 
as  a  mild  form  of  dissipation." 

"  I  hope  Wynne  will  look  sharp,"  said  her 
husband  hastily,  looking  at  his  watch.  "  I 
don't  want  to  miss  that  train." 

"  Who  were  all  those  stodgy  old  things  who 
wrung  your  hand  afterwards,  Jim?  "  asked  his 
wife.  She  was  moving  slowly  about  the  room 
picking  up  the  various  little  objects  scattered 
about  and  examining  the  contents  of  one  of  the 
cabinets  with  the  air  of  an  appraiser. 

* '  I  can 't  think.  They  did  make  me  feel  such 
a  fool." 

' *  Oh,  was  that  it ? "  laughed  his  wife.  ' '  I  saw 
you  looking  a  perfect  owl  and  I  thought  you 
were  giving  a  very  bad  imitation  of  restrained 
emotion." 

1 '  Dorothy !  "  in  a  tone  of  remonstrance. 

"  Would  you  care  for  some  tea,  Mrs.  Wick- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  31 

ham?  "  Nora  broke  in.  To  her  the  whole  scene 
was  positively  indecent.  She  longed  to  make 
her  escape,  but  felt  that  it  would  be  considered 
part  of  her  duty  to  remain  as  long  as  the  Wick- 
hams  stayed.  As  she  was  about  to  ring  the  bell, 
Mrs.  Wickham  stopped  her  with  a  gesture. 

"  Well,  you  might  send  some  in  so  that  it'll 
be  ready  when  Mr.  Wynne  comes.  We'll  ring 
for  you,  shall  we?  "  she  added.  "  I  dare  say 
you've  got  one  or  two  things  you  want  to  do 
now. ' ' 

"  Very  good,  Mrs.  Wickham." 

Nora  could  feel  her  cheeks  burn  as  she  left 
the  room.  But  she  was  thankful  to  escape. 
Outside  the  door  she  hesitated  for  a  moment. 
There  was  no  good  in  rejoining  Miss  Pringle- 
as  yet.  She  had  no  news  for  her.  She  hoped 
Mr.  Wynne  would  not  be  delayed  much  longer. 
The  Wickhams  could  not  possibly  be  more  anx- 
ious to  get  back  to  London  than  she  was  to 
have  them  go.  How  gratuitously  insolent  that 
woman  was.  Thank  Heaven,  she  need  never 
see  her  again  after  to-day.  Of  course,  she  was 
furious  because  she  suspected  that  the  despised 
companion  was  to  be  a  beneficiary  under  the 
will.  How  could  anyone  be  so  mean  as  to  be- 
grudge her  her  well-earned  share  in  so  large  a 
fortune !  Well,  the  coming  hour  would  tell  the 
tale. 


32  THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

On  the  table  in  her  room  was  the  letter  to  her 
brother  which  she  had  forgotten  to  send  to  the 
post.  Slipping  down  the  stairs  again,  she  went 
in  search  of  Kate  to  see  if  it  were  too  late  to 
send  it  to  the  village.  Now  that  it  was  written, 
she  had  almost  a  superstitious  feeling  that  it 
was  important  that  it  should  catch  the  first  for- 
eign mail. 

As  she  passed  the  door  of  the  drawing-room, 
she  could  hear  James  Wickham's  voice  raised 
above  its  normal  pitch.  Were  they  already 
quarreling  over  the  spoils ! 


CHAPTER 


NORA'S  surmise  had  been  very  nearly  correct; 
the  Wickhams  were  quarreling,  but  not,  as  yet, 
over  the  spoils.  James  Wickham  had  waited 
until  the  door  had  closed  behind  his  aunt's  com- 
panion to  rebuke  his  wife's  untimely  frivolity. 

'  '  I  say,  Dorothy,  you  oughtn  't  to  be  facetious 
before  Miss  Marsh.  She  was  extremely  at- 
tached to  Aunt  Louisa." 

"  Oh,  what  nonsense!  "  jeered  Mrs.  Wick- 
ham,  throwing  herself  pettishly  into  a  chair. 
"  I  find  it's  always  a  very  good  rule  to  judge 
people  by  oneself,  and  I'm  positive  she  was  just 
longing  for  the  old  lady  to  die." 

'  '  She  was  awfully  upset  at  the  end,  you  know 
that  yourself." 

'  '  Nerves  !  Men  are  so  idiotic.  They  never 
understand  that  there  are  tears  and  tears.  I 
cried  myself,  and  Heaven  knows  I  didn't  regret 
her  death." 

"  My  dear  Dorothy,  you  oughtn't  to  say 
that." 

"  Why  not?  "  retorted  his  wife.  "  It's  per- 
fectly true.  Aunt  Louisa  was  a  detestable  per- 
son and  no  one  would  have  stood  her  for  a 

33 


34  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

minute  if  she  hadn't  had  money.  I  can't  see 
the  use  of  being  a  hypocrite  now  that  it  can't 
make  any  difference  either  way.  Oh,  why 
doesn't  that  man  hurry  up!  ':  She  resumed 
once  more  her  impatient  walk  about  the  room. 

"  I  wish  Wynne  would  come,"  said  her  hus- 
band, glad  to  change  the  subject,  particularly 
as  he  felt  that  he  had  failed  to  be  very 
impressive.  ' '  It  '11  be  beastly  inconvenient  if  we 
miss  that  train,"  he  finished,  glancing  again  at 
his  watch. 

"  And  another  thing,"  said  Mrs.  Wickham, 
turning  sharply  as  she  reached  the  end  of  the 
room,  "  I  don't  trust  that  Miss  Marsh.  She 
looks  as  if  she  knew  what  was  in  the  will. ' ' 

"  I  don't  for  a  moment  suppose  she  does. 
Aunt  Louisa  wasn't  the  sort  of  person  to  talk." 

11  Nevertheless,  I'm  sure  she  knows  she's  been 
left  something." 

"  Oh,  well,  I  think  she  has  the  right  to  ex- 
pect that.  Aunt  Louisa  led  her  a  dog's  life." 

Mrs.  Wickham  made  an  angry  gesture.  ' '  She 
had  her  wages  and  a  comfortable  home.  If  she 
didn't  like  the  place,  she  could  have  left  it," 
she  said  pettishly.  "  After  all,"  she  went  on 
in  a  quieter  tone,  "  it's  family  money.  In  my 
opinion,  Aunt  Louisa  had  no  right  to  leave  it  to 
strangers." 

"  I  don't  think  we  ought  to  complain  if  Miss 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  35 

Marsh  gets  a  small  annuity,"  said  her  husband 
soothingly.  "  I  understand  Aunt  Louisa  prom- 
ised her  something  of  the  sort  when  she  had  a 
chance  of  marr ying  a  couple  of  years  ago. ' ' 

"  Miss  Marsh  is  still  quite  young.  It  isn't 
as  if  she  had  been  here  for  thirty  years,"  pro- 
tested Mrs.  Wickham. 

"  Well,  anyway,  I've  got  an  idea  that  Aunt 
Louisa  meant  to  leave  her  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  a  year." 

"  Two  hundred  and  fif But  what's  the 

estate  amount  to;  have  you  any  idea?  " 

"  About  nineteen  thousand  pounds,  I  be- 
lieve. ' ' 

Mrs.  Wickham,  who  had  seated  herself  once 
more,  struck  her  hands  violently  together. 

1 '  Oh,  it 's  absurd.  It 's  a  most  unfair  proposi- 
tion. It  will  make  all  the  difference  to  us.  On 
that  extra  two  hundred  and  fifty  a  year  we  could 
keep  a  car." 

"  My  dear,  be  thankful  if  we  get  anything 
at  all, ' '  said  her  husband  solemnly.  For  a  mo- 
ment she  stared  at  him  aghast. 

"  Jim!  Jim,  you  don't  think Oh!  that 

would  be  too  horrible. ' ' 

"Hush!    Take  care." 

He  crossed  to  the  window  as  the  door  opened 
and  Kate  came  in  softly  with  the  tea  things. 

"  How  lucky  it  is  that  we  had  a  fine  day," 


36  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

lie  said,  endeavoring  to  give  the  impression  that 
they  had  been  talking  with  becoming  sobriety 
of  light  topics.  He  hoped  his  wife's  raised 
voice  had  not  been  heard  in  the  passageway. 

But  Mrs.  Wickham  was  beyond  caring.  Her 
toneless  "  Yes  "  in  response  to  his  original  ob- 
servation betrayed  her  utter  lack  of  interest  in 
the  subject.  But  as  Kate  was  still  busy  setting 
out  the  things  on  a  small  table,  he  continued 
his  efforts.  Really,  Dorothy  should  '  play  up  ' 
more. 

"  It  looks  as  if  we  were  going  to  have  a  spell 
of  fine  weather." 

"  Yes." 

"  It's  funny  how  often  it  rains  for  wed- 
dings. ' ' 

"  Very  funny." 

"  The  tea  is  ready,  sir." 

As  Kate  left  the  room,  Mrs.  Wickham  crossed 
slowly  over  to  where  her  husband  was  standing 
in  front  of  the  window  leading  to  the  garden. 
Her  voice  shook  with  emotion.  It  was  evident 
that  she  was  very  near  tears.  He  put  his  arm 
around  her  awkwardly,  but  with  a  certain  sug- 
gestion of  protective  tenderness. 

"  I've  been  counting  on  that  money  for 
years,"  she  said,  hardly  above  a  whisper.  "  I 
used  to  dream  at  night  that  I  was  reading  a 
telegram  with  the  news  of  Aunt  Louisa 's  death. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  37 

And  I  've  thought  of  all  we  should  be  able  to  do 
when  we  get  it.  It'll  make  such  a  difference." 

"  You  know  what  she  was.  She  didn't  care 
twopence  for  us.  We  ought  to  be  prepared  for 
the  worst,"  he  said  soberly. 

"Do  you  think  she  could  have  left  everything 
to  Miss  Marsh?  " 

"  I  shouldn't  be  greatly  surprised." 

' '  We  '11  dispute  the  will, ' '  she  said,  once  more 
raising  her  voice.  "  It's  undue  influence.  I 
suspected  Miss  Marsh  from  the  beginning.  I 
hate  her.  Oh,  how  I  hate  her !  Oh,  why  doesn't 
Wynne  come?  ' 

A  ring  at  the  bell  answered  her. 

' '  Here  he  is,  I  expect. ' ' 

"  The  suspense  is  too  awful." 

11  Pull  yourself  together,  old  girl,"  said 
Wickham,  patting  his  wife  encouragingly  on  the 
shoulder.  "  And  I  say,  look  a  bit  dismal. 
After  all,  we've  just  come  from  a  funeral." 

Mrs.  Wickham  gave  a  sort  of  suppressed 
wail.  "  Oh,  I'm  downhearted  enough,  Heaven 
knows." 

"  Mr.  Wynne,  sir,"  said  Kate  from  the  door- 
way. 

Mr.  Wynne,  the  late  Miss  Wickham 's  so- 
licitor, was  a  jovial,  hearty  man,  tallish,  bald 
and  ruddy-looking.  In  his  spare  time  he  played 
at  being  a  country  gentleman.  He  had  a  fine, 


38 

straightforward  eye  and  a  direct  manner  that 
inspired  one  with  confidence.  He  was  dressed 
in  complimentary  mourning,  but  for  the  mo- 
ment his  natural  hearty  manner  threatened  to 
get  the  better  of  him. 

"  Helloa,"  he  said,  holding  out  his  hand  to 
Wickham.  But  the  sight  of  Mrs.  Wickham, 
seated  on  the  sofa  dejectedly  enough,  recalled 
to  him  that  he  should  be  more  subdued  in  the 
presence  of  such  genuine  grief.  He  crossed  the 
room  to  take  Dorothy's  hand  solemnly. 

"  I  didn't  have  an  opportunity  of  shaking 
hands  with  you  at  the  cemetery." 

"  How  do  you  do,"  she  said  rather  absently. 

' '  Pray  accept  my  sincerest  sympathy  on  your 
great  bereavement. ' ' 

Mrs.  Wickham  made  an  effort  to  bring  her 
mind  back  from  the  all-absorbing  fear  that  pos- 
sessed her. 

"  Of  course  the  end  was  not  entirely  unex- 
pected." 

' '  No,  I  know.  But  it  must  have  been  a  great 
shock,  all  the  same." 

He  was  going  on  to  say  what  a  wonderful 
old  lady  his  late  client  had  been  in  that  her 
faculties  seemed  perfectly  unimpaired  until  the 
very  last,  when  Wickham  interrupted  him.  Not 
only  was  he  most  anxious  to  hear  the  will  read 
himself  and  have  it  over,  but  he  saw  signs  in 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  39 

his  wife's  face  and  in  the  nervous  manner  in 
which  she  rolled  and  unrolled  her  handkerchief, 
that  she  was  nearing  the  end  of  her  self-control, 
never  very  great. 

' '  My  wife  was  very  much  upset,  but  of  course 
my  poor  aunt  had  suffered  great  pain,  and  we 
couldn't  help  looking  upon  it  as  a  happy  re- 
lease." 

* '  Naturally, ' '  responded  the  solicitor  sympa- 
thetically. "  And  how  is  Miss  Marsh?  "  He 
was  looking  at  James  Wickham  as  he  spoke,  so 
that  he  missed  the  sudden  '  I  told  you  so  '  glance 
which  Mrs.  Wickham  flashed  at  her  husband. 

"  Oh,  she's  very  well,"  she  managed  to  say 
with  a  careless  air. 

"I'm  glad  to  learn  that  she  is  not  completely 
prostrated,"  said  Mr.  Wynne  warmly.  "  Her 
devotion  to  Miss  Wickham  was  perfectly  won- 
derful. Dr.  Evans — he 's  my  brother-in-law,  you 
know — told  me  no  trained  nurse  could  have  been 
more  competent.  She  was  like  a  daughter  to 
Miss  Wickham. ' ' 

"  I  suppose  we'd  better  send  for  her,"  said 
Mrs.  Wickham  coldly. 

"  Have  you  brought  the "  Wickham 

stopped  in  embarrassment. 

"  Yes,  I  have  it  in  my  pocket,"  said  the  so- 
licitor quickly.  He  had  noted  before  now  how 
awkward  people  always  were  about  speaking  of 


40  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

wills.  There  was  nothing  indelicate  about  do- 
ing so.  Heavens,  all  right-minded  persons 
made  their  wills  and  they  meant  to  have  them 
read  after  they  were  dead.  Everybody  knew 
that,  and  yet  they  always  acted  as  if  it  were 
indecent  to  approach  the  subject.  He  had  no 
patience  with  such  nonsense. 

With  an  eloquent  look  at  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Wickham  slowly  crossed  the  room  to  the  bell. 

"  I'll  ring  for  Miss  Marsh,"  she  said  in  a 
hard  voice. 

"  I  expect  Mr.  Wynne  would  like  a  cup  of 
tea,  Dorothy." 

She  frowned  at  her  husband  behind  the  so- 
licitor's broad  back.  More  delays.  Could  she 
bear  it?  "  Oh,  I'm  so  sorry,  I  quite  forgot 
about  it." 

"  No,  thank  you  very  much,  I  never  take  tea," 
protested  that  gentleman.  He  took  from  his 
pocket  a  long  blue  envelope  and  slowly  drew 
from  it  the  will,  which  he  smoothed  out  with 
a  deliberation  which  was  maddening  to  Mrs. 
Wickham.  She  could  hardly  tear  her  fascinated 
eyes  away  from  it  long  enough  to  tell  the  wait- 
ing Kate  to  ask  Miss  Marsh  to  be  good  enough 
to  come  to  them. 

"  What's  the  time,  Jim?  "  she  asked  nerv- 
ously. 

"  Oh,  there's  no  hurry,"  he  said,  looking  at 


,  THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE  41 

his  watch  without  seeing  it.  Then  turning  to 
Wynne,  he  added:  "  We've  got  an  important 
engagement  this  evening  in  London  and  we're 
very  anxious  not  to  miss  the  fast  train." 

"  The  train  service  down  here  is  rotten,"  said 
Mrs.  Wickham  harshly. 

"  That's  all  right.  The  will  is  very  short. 
It  won't  take  me  two  minutes  to  read  it,"  Mr. 
Wynne  reassured  them. 

"  What  on  earth  is  Miss  Marsh  doing?  "  said 
Mrs.  Wickham,  half  to  herself.  An  endless  min- 
ute passed. 

11  How  pretty  the  garden  is  looking  now," 
said  the  solicitor  cheerfully,  gazing  out  through 
the  window. 

'  *  Very, ' '  Wickham  managed  to  say. 

"  Miss  Wickham  was  always  so  interested  in 
her  garden." 

"Yes." 

"  My  own  tulips  aren't  so  advanced  as 
those." 

"  Aren't  they?  "  Wickham 's  tone  suggested 
irritation. 

Mr.  Wynne  addressed  his  next  observation  to 
Mrs.  Wickham. 

"  Are  you  interested  in  gardening?  " 

"  No,  I  hate  it.    At  last!  " 

The  exclamation  was  called  forth  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  Nora  in  the  doorway.  The  two  men. 


42  THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

both  rose;  Wynne  to  go  forward  and  shake 
Nora's  hand  with  unaffected  cordiality,  Wick- 
ham  to  whisper  in  his  wife's  ear,  beseeching  her 
to  exercise  more  self-control. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Miss  Marsh?  I'm  rejoiced 
to  see  you  looking  so  fit." 

"  Oh,  I'm  very  well,  thank  you.  How  do  you 
do?  " 

1 1  Will  you  have  a  cup  of  tea  ?  ' '  asked  Wick- 
ham  in  response  to  what  he  thought  was  a 
signal  from  his  wife. 

But  Mrs.  Wickham  had  reached  the  point 
where  further  waiting  was  simply  impos- 
sible. 

"  Jim,"  she  remonstrated,  "  Miss  Marsh 
would  much  prefer  to  have  tea  quietly  after 
we're  gone." 

Nora  understood  and  for  the  moment  found 
it  in  her  heart  to  be  sorry  for  the  woman,  much 
as  she  disliked  her. 

"  I  won't  have  any  tea,  thank  you,"  she  said 
simply. 

11  Mr.  Wynne  has  brought  the  will  with  him," 
explained  Mrs.  Wickham.  Her  tone  was  almost 
appealing  as  if  she  begged  Nora  if  she  knew  of 
its  contents  to  say  so  without  further  delay. 

"  Oh,  yes?  " 

Nothing  should  induce  her  to  show  such  agi- 
tation as  this  woman  did.  She  managed  to  as- 


XOKA     MADE    NO    KKPJ.Y    TO    THIS    AKKABI.K    SI'KKCH. 


.  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  43 

sume  an  air  of  polite  interest  and  find  a  chair 
for  herself  quite  calmly.  And  yet  she  was  con- 
scious that  her  heart  was  beating  wildly  be- 
neath her  bodice.  But  she  would  not  betray 
herself,  she  would  not.  And  yet  her  stake  was 
as  great  as  any.  Her  whole  future  hung  on  the 
contents  of  that  paper  Mr.  Wynne  was  caress- 
ing with  his  long  fingers. 

"  Miss  Marsh,"  questioned  Mr.  Wynne  as 
soon  as  she  was  seated,  "  so  far  as  you  know 
there  is  no  other  will  f  ' 

11  How  do  you  mean!  ' 

11  Miss  Wickham  didn't  make  a  later  one — 
without  my  assistance,  I  mean?  You  know  of 
nothing  in  the  house,  for  instance?  ' 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Nora  positively.  "  Miss 
Wickham  always  said  you  had  her  will.  She 
was  extremely  methodical." 

"  I  feel  I  ought  to  ask  you,"  the  solicitor 
went  on  with  unwonted  gentleness,  "  because 
Miss  Wickham  consulted  me  a  couple  of  years 
ago  about  making  a  new  will.  She  told  me  what 
she  wanted  to  do,  but  gave  me  no  actual  instruc- 
tions to  draw  it.  I  thought  perhaps  she  might 
have  done  it  herself." 

"  I  heard  nothing  about  it.  I  am  sure  that 
her  only  will  is  in  your  hands." 

"  Then  I  think  that  we  may  take  it  that 
this " 


44  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Mrs.  Wickham's  set  face  relaxed.  The  light 
of  triumph  was  in  her  eyes.  She  under- 
stood. 

"  When  was  that  will  made?  "  she  asked 
eagerly. 

"  Eight  or  nine  years  ago.  The  exact  date 
was  March  4th,  1904." 

The  date  settled  it.  Nora,  too,  realized  that. 
She  was  left  penniless.  What  a  refinement  of 
cruelty  to  deceive — but  she  must  not  think  of 
that  now.  She  would  have  all  the  rest  of  her 
life  in  which  to  think  of  it.  But  here  before 
that  woman,  whose  searching  glance  was  even 
now  fastened  on  her  face  to  see  how  she  was 
taking  the  blow,  she  would  give  no  sign. 

"  When  did  you  first  come  to  Miss  Wick- 
ham?  "  Mrs.  Wickham's  voice  was  almost  a 
caress. 

"  At  the  end  of  nineteen  hundred  and  three." 
There  was  no  trace  of  emotion  in  that  clear 
voice.  After  a  moment  Mr.  Wynne  spoke 
again. 

"  Shall  I  read  it,  or  would  you  just  like  to 
know  the  particulars !  It  is  very  short. ' ' 

1 1  Oh,  let  us  know  just  roughly. ' '  Mrs.  Wick- 
ham  was  still  eager. 

"  Well,  Miss  Wickham  left  one  hundred 
pounds  to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel,  and  one  hundred  pounds  to  the  Gen- 


.  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  45 

eral'  Hospital  at  Tunbridge  Wells,  and  the  en- 
tire residue  of  her  fortune  to  her  nephew,  Mr. 
James  Wickham." 

Mrs.  Wickham  drew  her  breath  sharply. 
Once  more  she  looked  at~her  late  aunt's  com- 
panion, but  nothing  was  to  be  read  in  that  calm 
face.  She  was  a  designing  minx,  none  the  less. 
But  she  did  yield  her  a  grudging  admiration 
for  her  self-control  in  the  shipwreck  of  all  her 
hopes.  Now  they  could  have  their  car.  Oh, 
what  couldn't  they  have!  She  felt  she  had 
earned  every  penny  of  it  in  that  last  dreadful 
half  hour. 

"  And  Miss  Marsh?  "  she  heard  her  husband 
ask. 

11  Miss  Marsh  is  not  mentioned." 

Somehow,  Nora  managed  a  smile.  "  I  could 
hardly  expect  to  be.  At  the  time  that  will  was 
drawn  I  had  been  Miss  Wickham 's  companion 
for  only  a  few  months." 

"  That  is  why  I  asked  whether  you  knew  of 
any  later  will,"  said  Mr.  Wynne  almost  sadly. 
"  When  I  talked  to  Miss  Wickham  on  the  sub- 
ject she  said  her  wish  was  to  make  adequate 
provision  for  you  after  her  death.  I  think  she 
had  spoken  to  you  about  it." 

"  Yes,  she  had." 

"  She  mentioned  three  hundred  a  year." 

"  That  was  very  kind  of  her."    Nora's  voice 


46  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

broke  a  little.  "  I'm  glad  she  wished  to  do 
something  for  me." 

"  Oddly  enough,"  continued  the  solicitor, 
"  she  spoke  about  it  to  Dr.  Evans  only  a  few 
days  before  she  died." 

"  Perhaps  there  is  a  later  will  somewhere," 
said  Wickham. 

"  I  honestly  don't  think  so." 

"  Oh,  I'm  sure  there  isn't,"  affirmed  Nora. 

"  Dr.  Evans  was  talking  to  Miss  Wickham 
about  Miss  Marsh.  She  was  completely  tired 
out  and  he  wanted  Miss  Wickham  to  have  a 
professional  nurse.  She  told  him  then  that  I 
had  the  will  and  that  she  had  left  Miss  Marsh 
amply  provided  for." 

"  That  isn't  legal,  of  course,"  said  Mrs. 
Wickham  decidedly. 

"  What  isn't?  " 

11  I  mean  no  one  could  force  us — I  mean  the 
will  stands  as  it  is,  doesn't  it?  ' 

"  Certainly  it  does." 

"I'm  afraid  it's  a  great  disappointment  to 
you,  Miss  Marsh,"  Wickham  said,  not  un- 
kindly. 

"  I  never  count  my  chickens  before  they're 
hatched."  This  time  Nora  smiled  easily  and 
naturally.  The  worst  was  over  now. 

"  It  would  be  very  natural  if  Miss  Marsh 
were  disappointed  in  the  circumstances.  I 


THE  L'AND  OF  PROMISE  47 

think  she'd  been  led  to  expect "  Mr. 

Wynne's  voice  was  almost  pleading. 

Mrs.  Wickham  detected  a  certain  disapproval 
in  the  tone.  She  hastened  to  justify  herself. 
He  might  still  be  useful.  When  the  estate  was 
once  settled,  they  would  of  course  put  every- 
thing in  the  hands  of  their  London  solicitor. 
But  it  would  be  better  not  to  antagonize  him 
for  the  moment. 

"  Our  aunt  left  a  very  small  fortune,  I  un- 
derstand, and  I  suppose  she  felt  it  wouldn't  be 
fair  to  leave  a  large  part  of  it  away  from  her 
own  family." 

"  Of  course,"  said  her  husband,  following 
her  lead,  "  it  is  family  money.  She  inherited 
it  from  my  grandfather,  and — but  I  want  you  to 
know,  Miss  Marsh,  that  my  wife  and  I  thor- 
oughly appreciate  all  you  did  for  my  aunt. 
Money  couldn't  repay  your  care  and  devotion. 
You've  been  perfectly  wonderful." 

"  It's  extremely  good  of  you  to  say  so." 

"  I  think  everyone  who  saw  Miss  Marsh  with 
Miss  Wickham  must  be  aware  that  during  the1 
ten  years  she  was  with  her  she  never  spared 
herself."  Mr.  Wynne's  eyes  were  on  Mrs. 
Wickham. 

"  Of  course  my  aunt  was  a  very  trying 
woman—  -"  began  James  Wickham  feebly. 
His  wife  headed  him  off. 


48  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

11  Earning  one's  living  is  always  unpleas- 
ant; if  it  weren't  there 'd  be  no  incentive  to 
work." 

This  astonishing  aphorism  was  almost  too 
much  for  Nora's  composure.  She  gave  Mrs. 
Wickham  an  amused  glance,  to  which  that  lady 
responded  by  beaming  upon  her  in  her  most 
agreeable  manner. 

'  *  My  wife  and  I  would  be  very  glad  to  make 
some  kind  of  acknowledgment  of  your  services. ' ' 

"  I  was  just  going  to  mention  it,"  echoed 
Mrs.  Wickham  heartily. 

Mr.  Wynne's  kindly  face  brightened  visibly. 
He  was  glad  they  were  going  to  do  the  right 
thing,  after  all.  He  had  been  a  little  fearful 
a  few  moments  before.  l '  I  felt  sure  that  in  the 
circumstances— 

But  Mrs.  Wickham  interrupted  him  quickly. 

"What  were  your  wages,  may  I  ask,  Miss 
Marsh?  " 

"  Thirty  pounds  a  year." 

"  Really?  "  in  a  tone  of  excessive  surprise. 
"  Many  ladies  are  glad  to  go  as  companion 
without,  any  salary,  just  for  the  sake  of  a  home 
and  congenial  society.  I  daresay  you've  been 
able  to  save  a  good  deal  in  all  these  years." 

"  I  had  to  dress  myself  decently,  Mrs.  Wick- 
ham," said  Nora  frigidly. 

Mrs.     Wickham    was     graciousness     itself. 


.  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  49 

"  Well,  I'm  sure  my  husband  will  be  very  glad 
to  give  you  a  year's  salary,  won't  you,  Jim?  " 

"  It's  very  kind  of  you,"  replied  Nora  coldly, 
"  but  I'm  not  inclined  to  accept  anything  but 
what  is  legally  due  to  me." 

' '  You  must  remember, ' '  went  on  Mrs.  Wick- 
ham,  "  that  there'll  be  very  heavy  death  duties 
to  pay.  They'll  swallow  up  the  income  from 
Miss  Wickham's  estate  for  at  least  two  years, 
won't  they,  Mr.  Wynne?  " 

"  I  quite  understand,"  said  Nora. 

11  Perhaps  you'll  change  your  mind." 

"  I  don't  think  so." 

There  was  an  awkward  pause.  Mr.  Wynne 
rose  from  his  seat  at  the  table.  His  manner 
showed  unmistakably  that  he  was  not  impressed 
by  Mrs.  Wickham's  great  generosity. 

"  Well,  I  think  I  must  leave  you,"  he  said, 
looking  at  Nora.  "  Good-by,  Miss  Marsh.  If 
I  can  be  of  any  help  to  you  I  hope  you'll  let  me 
know. ' ' 

"  That's  very  kind  of  you." 

Bowing  slightly  to  Mrs.  Wickham  and  nod- 
ding to  her  husband,  he  went  out. 

"  We  must  go,  too,  Dorothy,"  said  James 
uneasily. 

Mrs.  Wickham  began  drawing  on  her  gloves. 
"  Jim  will  be  writing  to  you  in  a  day  or  two. 
You  know  how  grateful  we  both  are  for  all  you 


50  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

did  for  our  poor  aunt.  "We  shall  be  glad  to  give 
you  the  very  highest  references.  You're  such 
a  wonderful  nurse.  I'm  sure  you'll  have  no 
difficulty  in  getting  another  situation;  I  expect 
I  can  find  you  something  myself.  I'll  ask 
among  all  my  friends. ' ' 

Nora  made  no  reply  to  this  affable  speech. 

"  Come  on,  Dorothy;  we  really  haven't  any 
time  to  lose,"  said  Wickham  hurriedly. 

"  Good-by,  Miss  Marsh." 

"  Good-by,"  said  Nora  dully.  She  stood,  her 
hands  resting  on  the  table,  her  eyes  fastened 
on  the  long  blue  envelope  which  Mr.  Wynne  had 
forgotten.  From  a  long  way  off  she  heard  the 
wheels  of  the  cab  on  the  driveway. 


CHAPTER  IV 

* '  I  THOUGHT  they  were  never  going.    Well  ?  ' ' 

It  was  Miss  Pringle  who  had  come  in  from  her 
retreat  in  the  garden,  eager  to  hear  the  news  the 
moment  she  had  seen  the  Wickhams  driving 
away.  Nora  turned  and  looked  at  her  without 
a  word. 

Miss  Pringle  was  genuinely  startled  at  the 
drawn  look  on  her  face. 

"Nora!  What's  the  matter?  Isn't  it  as 
much  as  you  thought?  ' 

"  Miss  Wickham  has  left  me  nothing,"  said 
Nora  in  a  dead  voice. 

Miss  Pringle  gave  a  positive  wail  of  anguish. 
11  Oh-h-h-h.  " 

"  Not  a  penny.  Oh,  it's  cruel !  "  the  girl  said, 
almost  wildly.  "  After  all,"  she  went  on  bit- 
terly, "  there  was  no  need  for  her  to  leave  me 
anything.  She  gave  me  board  and  lodging  and 
thirty  pounds  a  year.  If  I  stayed  it  was  because 
I  chose.  But  she  needn't  have  promised  me 
anything.  She  needn  't  have  prevented  me  from 
marrying.  " 

' '  My  dear,  you  could  never  have  married  that 

51 


52  THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

little  assistant.  He  wasn't  a  gentleman,"  Miss 
Pringle  reminded  her. 

"  Ten  years!  The  ten  best  years  of  a 
woman's  life,  when  other  girls  are  enjoying 
themselves.  And  what  did  I  get  for  it?  Board 
and  lodging  and  thirty  pounds  a  year.  A  cook 
does  better  than  that.  " 

11  We  can't  expect  to  make  as  much  money  as 
a  good  cook,"  said  Miss  Pringle,  with  touching 
and  unconscious  pathos.  "  One  has  to  pay 
something  for  living  like  a  lady  among  people  of 
one's  own  class.  " 

"  Oh,  it's  cruel!  "  Nora  could  only  repeat. 

"  My  dear,  "  said  Miss  Pringle  with  an  effort 
at  consolation,  "  don't  give  way.  I'm  sure 
you'll  have  no  difficulty  in  finding  another  situ- 
ation. You  wash  lace  beautifully  and  no  one 
can  arrange  flowers  like  you.  ' ' 

Nora  sank  wearily  into  a  chair.  "  And  I  was 
dreaming  of  France  and  Italy — I  shall  spend 
ten  years  more  with  an  old  lady,  and  then  she'll 
die  and  I  shall  look  out  for  another  situation. 
It  won 't  be  so  easy  then  because  I  shan  't  be  so 
young.  And  so  it'll  go  on  until  I  can't  find  a 
situation  because  I'm  too  old,  and  then  some 
charitable  people  will  get  me  into  a  home.  You 
like  the  life,  don't  you?  " 

"  My  dear,  there  are  so  few  things  a  gentle- 
woman can  do.  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  53 

"  When  I  think  of  those  ten  years,  "  said 
Nora,  pacing  up  and  down  the  length  of  the 
room,  * '  having  to  put  up  with  every  unreason- 
ableness! Never  being  allowed  to  feel  ill  or 
tired.  No  servant  would  have  stood  what  I 
have.  The  humiliation  I've  endured!  " 

"  You're  tired  and  out  of  sorts,  "  said  Miss 
Pringle  soothingly.  "  Everyone  isn't  so  trying 
as  Miss  Wickham.  I'm  sure  Mrs.  Hubbard  has 
been  kindness  itself  to  me." 

"Considering.  " 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  meari  by  '  con- 
sidering.' : 

"  Considering  that  she's  rich  and  you're 
poor.  She  gives  you  her  old  clothes.  She  fre- 
quently doesn  't  ask  you  to  have  dinner  by  your- 
self when  she's  giving  a  party.  She  doesn't 
remind  you  that  you're  a  dependent  unless 
she's  very  much  put  out.  But  you — you've  had 
thirty  years  of  it.  You've  eaten  the  bitter 
bread  of  slavery  till — till  it  tastes  like  plum 
cake !  ' ' 

Miss  Pringle  was  distinctly  hurt.  "  I  don't 
know  why  you  say  such  things  to  me,  Nora.  " 

'  *  Oh,  you  mustn  't  mind  what  I  say ;  I— 

"  Mr.  Hornby  would  like  to  see  you  for 
a  minute,  Miss,"  said  Kate  from  the  door- 
way. 

"Now?  " 


54  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  I  told  him  I  didn't  think  it  would  be  very 
convenient,  Miss,  but  he  says  it's  very  impor- 
tant, and  he  won't  detain  you  more  than  five 
minutes.  " 

1  i  What  a  nuisance.    Ask  him  to  come  in.  ' ' 

"  Very  good,  Miss.  ' 

"  I  wonder  what  on  earth  he  can  want.  " 

"Who  is  he,  Nora?  " 

"  Oh,  he's  the  son  of  Colonel  Hornby.  Don't 
you  know,  he  lives  at  the  top  of  Molyneux  Park? 
His  mother  was  a  great  friend  of  Miss  Wick- 
ham's.  He  comes  down  here  now  and  then  for 
week-ends.  He's  got  something  to  do  with 
motor  cars.  " 

"  Mr.  Hornby,  "  said  Kate  from  the  door. 

Reginald  Hornby  was  evidently  one  of  those 
candid  souls  who  are  above  simulating  an  emo- 
tion they  do  not  feel.  He  had  regarded  the  late 
Miss  Wickham  as  an  unusually  tiresome  old 
woman.  His  mother  had  liked  her  of  course. 
But  he  could  hardly  have  been  expected  to  do  so. 
Moreover,  he  had  a  shrewd  notion  that  she  must 
have  been  a  perfect  Tartar  to  live  with.  Miss 
Marsh  might  be  busy  or  tired  out  with  the  ordeal 
of  the  day,  but  as  she  also  might  be  leaving 
almost  immediately  and  he  wanted  to  see  her,  he 
had  not  hesitated  to  come,  once  he  was  sure  that 
the  Wickham  relatives  had  departed.  That  he 
would  find  the  late  Miss  Wickham 's  companion 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  55 

indulging  in  any  show  of  grief  for  her  late  em- 
ployer, had  never  entered  his  head. 

He  was  a  good-looking,  if  rather  vacuous, 
young  man  with  a  long,  elegant  body.  His  dark, 
sleek  hair  was  always  carefully  brushed  and  his 
small  mustache  trimmed  and  curled.  His 
beautiful  clothes  suggested  the  fashionable  tai- 
lors of  Savile  Row.  Everything  about  him — 
his  tie,  his  handkerchief  protruding  from  his 
breast  pocket,  his  boots — bore  the  stamp  of  the 
very  latest  thing. 

11  I  say,  I'm  awfully  sorry  to  blow  in  like 
this,"  he  said  airily. 

He  beamed  on  Nora,  whom  he  had  always  re- 
garded as  much  too  pretty  a  girl  to  be  what  he 
secretly  called  a  *  frozy  companion  '  and  sent  a 
quick  inquiring  glance  at  Miss  Priugle,  whom  he 
vaguely  remembered  to  have  seen  somewhere  in 
Tunbridge  Wells.  But  then  Tunbridge  Wells 
was  filled  with  frumps.  Oh,  yes.  He  remem- 
bered now.  She  was  usually  to  be  seen  leading 
a  pair  of  Poms  on  a  leash. 

"  You  see,  I  didn't  know  if  you'd  be  staying 
on  here,"  he  went  on,  retaining  Nora's  hand, 
"  and  I  wanted  to  catch  you.  I'm  off  in  a  day 
or  two  myself.  " 

"  Won't  you  sit  down?  Mr.  Hornby — Miss 
Pringle.  " 

"Howd'youdo?  " 


56  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Mr.  Hornby's  glance1  skimmed  lightly  over 
Miss  Pringle 's  surface  and  returned  at  once  to 
Nora 's  more  pleasing  face. 

"  Everything  go  off  0.  K.?"  he  inquired 
genially. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon?  " 

"Funeral,  I  mean.  Mother  went.  Regular 
outing  for  her.  " 

Miss  Pringle  stiffened  visibly  in  her  chair 
and  began  to  study  the  pattern  in  the  rug  at 
her  feet  with  an  absorbed  interest.  Nora  was 
conscious  of  a  wild  desire  to  laugh,  but  with 
a  heroic  effort  succeeded  in  keeping  her 
face  straight  out  of  deference  to  her  elderly 
friend. 

"  Really?  "  she  said,  in  a  faint  voice. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  went  on  young  Hornby  with  un- 
abated cheerfulness.  "  You  see,  mother's  get- 
ting on.  I'm  the  child  of  her  old  age — Ben- 
jamin, don't  you  know.  Benjamin  and  Sarah, 
you  know,"  he  explained,  apparently  for  the 
benefit  of  Miss  Pringle,  as  he  pointedly  turned 
to  address  this  final  remark  to  her. 

11  I  understand  perfectly,"  said  Miss  Pringle 
icily,  "  but  it  wasn't  Sarah." 

"  Wasn't  it?  When  one  of  her  old  friends 
dies,"  he  went  on  to  Nora,  "  mother  always  goes 
to  the  funeral  and  says  to  herself:  '  Well, 
I've  seen  her  out,  anyhow!  '  Then  she  comes 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  57 

back  and  eats  muffins  for  tea.  She  always  eats 
muffins  after  she's  been  to  a  funeral." 

11  The  maid  said  you  wanted  to  see  me  about 
something  in  particular,"  Nora  gently  reminded 
him. 

"  That's  right,  I  was  forgetting." 

He  wheeled  suddenly  once  more  on  Miss  Prin- 
gle,  who  had  arrived  at  that  stage  in  her  study 
of  the  rug  when  she  was  carefully  tracing  out 
the  pattern  with  the  point  of  her  umbrella. 

"  If  Sarah  wasn't  Benjamin's  mother,  whose 
mother  was  she?  ' 

'  *  If  you  want  to  know,  I  recommend  you  to 
read  your  Bible,"  retorted  that  lady  with 
something  approaching  heat. 

Mr.  Hornby  slapped  his  knee.  "  I  thought 
it  was  a  stumper,"  he  remarked  with  evident 
satisfaction. 

'  *  The  fact  is,  I'm  going  to  Canada  and  mother 
told  me  you  had  a  brother  or  something  out 
there." 

"  A  brother,  not  a  something,"  said  Nora, 
with  a  smile. 

"  And  she  said,  perhaps  you  wouldn't  mind 
giving  me  a  letter  to  him." 

"  I  will  with  pleasure.  But  I'm  afraid  he 
won't  be  much  use  to  you.  He's  a  farmer 
and  he  lives  miles  away  from  anywhere." 

* '  But  I  'in  going  in  for  farming. ' ' 


58  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  You  are?    What  on  earth  for?  " 

"  I've  jolly  well  got  to  do  something,"  said 
Hornby  with  momentary  gloom,  "  and  I  think 
farming's  about  the  best  thing  I  can  do.  One 
gets  a  lot  of  shooting  and  riding  you  know. 
And  then  there  are  tennis  parties  and  dances. 
And  you  make  a  pot  of  money,  there 's  no  doubt 
about  that." 

*  *  But  I  thought  you  were  in  some  motor  busi- 
ness in  London." 

"  Well,  I  was,  in  a  way.  But — I  thought 
you'd  have  heard  about  it.  Mother's  been  tell- 
ing everybody.  Governor  won't  speak  to  me. 
Altogether,  things  are  rotten.  I  want  to  get  out 
of  this  beastly  country  as  quick  as  I  can." 

"  Would  you  like  me  to  give  you  the  letter  at 
once?  "  said  Nora,  going  over  to  an  escritoire 
that  stood  near  the  window. 

' '  I  wish  you  would.  Fact  is, ' '  he  went  on,  ad- 
dressing no  one  in  particular,  as  Nora  was 
already  deep  in  her  letter  and  Miss  Pringle, 
having  exhausted  the  possibilities  of  the  rug, 
was  gazing  stonily  into  space,  "I'm  broke.  I 
was  all  right  as  long  as  I  stuck  to  bridge;  I 
used  to  make  money  on  that.  Over  a  thousand 
a  year. ' ' 

"What!" 

Horror  was  stronger  than  Miss  Pringle 's  res- 
olution to  take  no  further  part  in  the  conver- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  59 

sation  with  this  extraordinary  and  apparently 
unprincipled  young  man. 

"  Playing  regularly,  you  know.  If  I  hadn't 
been  a  fool  I'd  have  stuck  to  that,  but  I  got 
bitten  with  chemi." 

'  *  With  what  ? ' '  asked  Nora,  over  her  shoulder. 

"  Chemin  de  fer.  Never  heard  of  it?  I  got 
in  the  habit  of  going  to  Thornton's.  I  suppose 
you  never  heard  of  him  either.  He  keeps  a 
gambling  hell.  Gives  you  a  slap-up  supper  for 
nothing,  as  much  pop  as  you  can  drink,  and 
cashes  your  checks  like  a  bird.  The  result  is, 
I've  lost  every  bob  I  had  and  then  Thornton 
sued  me  on  a  check  I'd  given  him.  The  gov- 
ernor forked  out,  but  he  says  I've  got  to  go  to 
Canada.  I'm  never  going  to  gamble  again,  I 
can  tell  you  that." 

"  Oh,  well,  that's  something,"  murmured 
Nora  cheerfully. 

"  You  can't  make  money  at  chemi,"  went  on 
Hornby,  relapsing  once  more  into  gloom;  "  the 
cagnotte's  bound  to  clear  you  out  in  the  end. 
When  I  come  back  I'm  going  to  stick  to  bridge. 
There  are  always  plenty  of  mugs  about,  and  if 
you  have  a  good  head  for  cards,  you  can't  help 
making  an  income  out  of  it." 

11  But  I  thought  you  said  you  were  never 

going '  began  Miss  Pringle,  but,  thinking 

better  of  it,  abandoned  her  sentence  in  mid-air. 


60  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Here  is  your  letter,"  said  Nora,  holding  it 
out  to  Mm. 

"  Thanks,  awfully.  I  daresay  I  shan't  want 
it,  you  know.  I  expect  I  shall  get  offered  a  job 
the  moment  I  land,  but  there's  no  harm  having 
it.  I  '11  be  getting  along. ' ' 

"  Good-by,  then,  and  good  luck." 

"  Good-by,"  he  said,  shaking  hands  with 
Nora  and  Miss  Pringle. 

"  Nora,  why  don't  you  go  out  to  Canada?  " 
said  Miss  Pringle  thoughtfully,  as  soon  as  the 
door  had  closed  after  young  Hornby.  "  Now 
your  brother  has  a  farm  of  his  own,  I  should 
think " 

"  My  brother's  married,"  interrupted  Nora 
quickly.  "  He  married  four  years  ago." 

' '  You  never  told  me. ' ' 

"  I  couldn't." 

"  Why?  Isn't  his  wife — isn't  his  wife 
nice?  " 

"  She  was  a  waitress  at  a  scrubby  little  hotel 
in  Winnipeg." 

11  What  are  you  going  to  do  then?  " 

"I?  I'm  going  to  look  out  for  another  situ- 
ation." 

Miss  Pringle  shook  her  head  sadly. 

"  Well,  I  must  be  going.  Mrs.  Hubbard  will 
be  back  from  her  drive  by  this  time.  She's  sure 
to  have  you  in  for  tea  or  something  before  you 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  61 

go.  She's  always  been  quite  fond  of  you.  At 
any  rate,  I'll  see  you  again,  of  course." 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed." 

Nora  was  thankful  to  be  alone  once  more. 
She  wanted  to  think  it  all  out.  What  a  day  it 
had  been.  Starting  with  such  high  hopes  to  end 
only  in  utter  disaster.  She  felt  completely  ex- 
hausted by  the  emotions  she  had  undergone. 
Time  enough  to  plan  to-morrow.  To-night  she 
needed  rest. 

Two  days  later,  in  the  late  afternoon,  she 
found  herself  in  the  train  for  London,  the  sec- 
ond journey  she  had  taken  in  ten  years.  Once, 
three  years  before,  Miss  Wickham  had  been 
persuaded  to  go  up  and  pay  the  James  Wick- 
hams  a  short  visit  and  had  taken  Nora  with 
her. 

It  could  hardly  have  been  described  as  a 
pleasure  trip.  Miss  Wickham  detested  visiting 
and  had  only  yielded  to  her  nephew's  impor- 
tunities because  she  had  never  been  in  his  Lon- 
don house  to  stay  any  time  and  had  an  avid  cu- 
riosity to  see  how  they  lived.  She  had  of  course 
disapproved  of  everything  she  saw  about  the 
establishment.  But,  as  it  was  no  part  of  her 
purpose  to  let  the  fact  be  known  to  her  relatives, 
she  had  in  a  large  measure  vented  her  conse- 
quent ill-humor  upon  her  unfortunate  com- 
panion. 


62  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

The  last  few  days  had  seemed  full,  indeed. 
No  matter  how  little  one  may  really  care  for  a 
place,  the  process  of  uprooting  after  ten  years 
is  not  an  easy  one.  Mr.  Wynne  had  been  to  see 
her  to  renew  his  offer  of  assistance  and  counsel 
in  any  plan  she  might  have  for  the  future  and 
she  had  spent  an  hour  with  the  good  doctor  and 
his  wife.  The  dreaded  invitation  from  Mrs. 
Hubbard  had  duly  arrived  and  had  turned  out 
to  be  for  dinner,  an  extraordinary  honor.  Nora 
had  accepted  it  entirely  on  Miss  Pringle's  ac- 
count. Mrs.  Hubbard  had  been  condescension 
itself  and  had  even  gone  the  length  of  excusing 
Miss  Pringle  from  the  evening's  game  of  be- 
zique,  in  order  that  she  might  have  a  farewell 
chat  with  her  friend. 

She  had  mildly  deprecated  Miss  Wickham's 
carelessness  in  not  altering  her  will,  but  had  re- 
minded Miss  Marsh  that  she  should  be  grateful 
to  her  late  employer  for  having  had  such  kindly 
intentions  toward  her,  vaguely  ending  her  re- 
marks with  the  statement  that  as  her  dear  hus- 
band had  always  said  in  this  imperfect  world 
one  had  often  to  consider  intentions. 

It  was  from  her  more  humble  friends  that 
Nora  found  it  hardest  to  part.  She  had  had  tea 
with  the  gardener's  wife  and  children  of  whom 
she  was  genuinely  fond.  But  it  was  the  parting 
from  Kate  that  had  brought  the  tears  to  her 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  63 

eyes.  She  had  confided  to  that  motherly  soul 
how  large  she  had  loomed  in  the  rosy  plans  she 
had  made  while  she  still  had  expectations  from 
Miss  Wickham,  and  been  assured  in  turn  that 
Kate  couldn  't  have  fancied  herself  happier  than 
she  would  have  been  in  looking  after  her,  and 
the  faithful  Kate  refused  to  regard  the  plan  as 
anything  more  than  postponed.  It  developed 
that  she  was  an  adept  in  telling  fortunes  with 
tea  leaves.  She  hoped  her  dear  Miss  Marsh 
wouldn  't  consider  it  a  liberty  for  her  to  say  so, 
but  in  every  forecast  that  Kate  had  made  for 
herself  in  the  last  twelfth  month,  Miss  Marsh 
had  always  been  mixed  up,  which  showed  beyond 
the  peradventure  of  a  doubt  that  they  were  to 
meet  again. 

It  was  already  dusk  when  London  was 
reached,  but  Nora  had  an  address  of  an  inexpen- 
sive little  private  hotel  which  the  doctor's  wife 
had  given  her.  She  had  written  ahead  to  en- 
gage a  room  so  that  her  mind  was  at  ease  on 
that  subject.  Not  knowing  exactly  where  the 
street  might  be,  further  than  that  it  led  off  the 
Strand,  she  indulged  herself  in  the  novel  luxury 
of  a  taxi  and  drove  to  her  new  lodgings  in 
state. 

"  If  it  isn't  too  much  out  of  the  way,  would 
you  take  me  by  way  of  Trafalgar  Square, 
please." 


64  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

The  chauffeur  touched  his  cap.  His  "  Yes, 
Miss,"  was  non-committal. 

She  was  conscious  of  an  unusual  feeling  of 
exaltation  as  she  went  along.  London,  while 
it  can  be  one  of  the  most  depressing  cities  in  the 
world  when  one  is  alone  and  friendless,  quickens 
the  imagination.  As  they  went  through  Tra- 
falgar Square  and  caught  a  fleeting  glimpse  of 
the  National  Gallery,  Nora  resolved  that  she 
would  give  herself  a  real  treat  and  renew  old 
acquaintance  with  that  institution  as  well  as  see 
the  Wallace  collection  and  the  Tate  Gallery,  both 
of  which  would  be  new  to  her.  She  realized 
more  poignantly  than  ever  how  starved  her  love 
of  beauty  had  been  for  the  last  ten  years.  It 
awoke  in  her  afresh  with  the  thought  that  for  a 
few  days,  at  least,  she  could  permit  herself  the 
luxury  of  gratifying  it. 

She  was  shown  to  her  room  by  a  neat  maid 
who  said  she  would  see  what  might  be  done  in 
the  way  of  a  light  tea.  As  a  rule  breakfast  was 
the  only  repast  that  was  supposed  to  be  fur- 
nished. But  she  was  quite  sure  Miss  Horn,  the 
proprietor,  would,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the 
young  lady  was  a  stranger  in  London  and  would 
hardly  know  where  to  go  alone  for  a  bite  of  din- 
ner, make  an  exception. 

Nora  thanked  her  and  set  about  making  the 
bare  little  room,  which  was  quite  at  the  top  of 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  65 

the  house,  look  a  little  more  homelike  by  un- 
packing some  of  her  own  things.  After  all,  she 
reflected,  it  wasn't  much  less  cheerful  than  the 
room  she  had  had  for  ten  years.  Perhaps  her 
late  participation  in  the  splendors  of  Miss  Wick- 
ham 's  guest  chamber,  which  had  been  part  of 
Dr.  Evans'  prescription,  had  spoiled  her  for 
simpler  joys.  She  laughed  aloud  at  the 
thought. 

By  the  time  she  had  had  her  supper,  which  was 
sufficiently  good,  and  written  a  few  notes — one 
to  the  doctor's  wife  to  say  that  she  thought  she 
would  be  quite  comfortable  in  her  new  quarters, 
and  one  to  the  head  of  the  agency  through  which 
she  had  obtained  her  post  with  Miss  Wickham — 
Nora  found  herself  ready  for  bed. 

The  next  day  dawned  bright  and  fine;  one  of 
those  delightful  spring  days  to  which  the  great 
city  occasionally  treats  you  as  if  to  protest 
against  the  injustice  of  her  reputation  for  being 
dark  and  gloomy. 

There  were  a  number  of  pleasant  looking  peo- 
ple in  the  coffee  room  when  Nora  went  down  to 
breakfast,  which  turned  out  to  be  abundant  and 
well  cooked.  Having  inquired  her  direction — a 
sense  of  location  was  not  one  of  her  gifts — she 
set  out  gaily  enough  for  a  whole  day  of  sight- 
seeing. She  might  never  get  another  position 
and  have  eventually  to  go  out  as  a  charwoman — • 


66  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

the  detail  that  she  would  be  illy  equipped  for 
any  such  undertaking  she  humorously  dis- 
missed— but  a  day  or  two  of  unalloyed  enjoy- 
ment she  was  going  to  have,  come  what  might. 

The  day  was  a  complete  success.  Having 
done  several  of  the  picture  galleries,  lunched 
and  dined  frugally  at  one  of  the  A.  B.  C.  res- 
taurants, Nora  returned  at  nightfall,  tired  but 
happy.  Oh,  the  blessed  freedom  of  it ! 

The  next  morning  on  coming  down  stairs  she 
found  at  her  plate  a  letter  from  the  agency. 
The  management  of  affairs,  it  seemed,  had 
passed  into  other  hands.  Doubtless  Miss 
Marsh's  name  would  be  found  on  the  books  of 
several  years  back,  but  it  was  not  familiar  to  the 
new  director.  However,  they  would,  of  course, 
be  pleased  to  put  themselves  at  Miss  Marsh's 
service.  If  she  would  be  good  enough  to  give 
them  an  early  call,  bringing  any  and  all  refer- 
ences she  might  have,  etc.,  etc. 

Miss  Marsh  tore  the  note  into  tiny  fragments. 
The  agency  could  wait,  everything  could  wait, 
for  the  moment.  She  must  have  her  fling,  the 
first  taste  of  freedom  in  all  these  years.  After 
that ! 


CHAPTER  V 

OCTOBER  had  come.  Nora  was  no  longer  in 
the  comfortable  little  hotel  to  which  the  doctor's 
wife  had  sent  her.  Early  in  July  she  had 
thought  it  wiser  to  seek  cheaper  quarters  where 
breakfast  was  not  *  included.'  Every  penny 
must  be  counted  now,  and  by  combining  break- 
fast and  lunch  late  in  the  morning  she  found  she 
could  do  quite  well  until  night,  besides  saving  an 
appreciable  sum  for  the  end  of  the  week,  when 
her  room  must  be  paid  for. 

The  summer  had  been  one  long  nightmare 
of  heat.  It  had  been  years  according  to  all  ac- 
counts since  the  unhappy  Londoners  had  so 
sweltered  beneath  the  scorching  rays  of  an 
almost  tropic  sun.  Often,  when  tossing  on  her 
little  bed  or  when  seated  by  her  small  window 
which  gave  on  a  sort  of  court,  with  the  forlorn 
hope  of  finding  some  air  stirring,  had  she 
thought  with  longing  of  the  pleasant  garden  at 
Tunbridge  Wells  and  is  perfumed  breezes. 

So  far  her  search  for  any  position  had  b*een 
fruitless.  She  had  gone  to  other  agencies;  to 
some  whose  greatly  reduced  fees  were  a  sure  in- 
dication that  she  could  hope  for  nothing  so 

67 


68  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  high  class,"  to  use  their  hateful  phrase,  as 
she  had  been  accustomed  to.  But  one  must  do 
what  one  could. 

At  one  establishment,  she  shuddered  to  re- 
member, she  found  that  she  would  be  expected  to 
sit  in  the  office,  as  at  the  servants'  agencies,  to  be 
inspected  by  prospective  employers.  This, 
Nora  had  flatly  refused  to  do  and  had  been 
coolly  informed  by  the  manager,  an  insufferable 
young  man  with  a  loud  voice  and  a  vulgar  man- 
ner, that  in  that  case  he  could  do  nothing 
for  her. 

He  had  at  the  same  time  refused  to  return  her 
fee,  which  he  had  providently  collected  before 
explaining  these  conditions,  on  the  ground  that 
they  never  returned  fees.  Nora  had  been  glad 
enough  to  make  her  escape  from  his  hateful 
presence  without  arguing  the  matter  with  him, 
although  she  considered  that,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  her  pocket  had  been  picked. 

Apparently  everyone  in  the  world  was 
already  supplied  with  a  companion.  She  had 
thought  of  filing  an  application  for  the  position 
of  nursery  governess,  only  to  find  that,  for  a 
really  good  post,  two  modern  languages  would 
be  required.  That,  coupled  with  the  fact  that 
she  was  obliged  to  confess  to  absolutely  no  pre- 
vious experience  in  teaching,  closed  the  door  to 
even  second-class  appointments. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  69 

And  the  desolating  loneliness  of  it  all !  Only 
once  in  all  this  time  had  she  seen  anyone  she 
knew,  and  that  was  shortly  after  her  arrival 
while  still  in  the  first  flush  of  her  newly  regained 
freedom.  She  had  gone  with  a  young  woman 
who  was  staying  at  the  hotel  for  a  few  days  to 
the  gallery  of  a  theater.  From  her  lofty  perch 
she  had  seen  Reggie  Hornby  with  a  gay  party 
of  young  men  in  the  stalls  below.  Evidently  he 
was  making  the  most  of  his  last  hours  at  home 
before  going  into  exile. 

Since  leaving  the  hotel  she  had  exchanged  but 
few  words  with  anyone  beyond  her  landlady,  the 
little  slavey  and  the  people  at  the  various 
agencies.  Once,  it  chanced  that  for  several  days 
in  succession  she  had  lunched  at  the  same  table 
in  a  dingy  little  restaurant  with  a  fresh,  pleas- 
ant-looking young  girl,  who  had  said  '  Good 
morning  '  in  such  a  friendly  manner  on  their 
second  encounter  that  Nora  felt  encouraged  to 
begin  conversation. 

Her  new  acquaintance  had  the  gift  of  a  sym- 
pathetic manner  and  before  Nora  realized  it  she 
found  herself  relating  the  story  of  her  failures 
and  disappointments.  Miss  Hodson — so  Nora 
discovered  she  was  called  from  the  very  busi- 
ness-like card  she  had  handed  her  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  repast,  with  an  air  which  for  the  mo- 
ment relapsed  from  the  sympathetic  to  the 


70 

professional — had  suggested  when  they  had  fin- 
ished their  lunch  that,  as  she  still  had  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  to  spare,  they  might  go  and  finish 
their  chat  in  one  of  the  little  green  oases  abut- 
ting on  the  Embankment.  Seated  on  one  of  the 
benches  she  proceeded  to  advise  her  companion 
to  take  up  stenography  and  typewriting  while 
she  was  still  in  funds. 

"  There  are  plenty  of  chances  for  a  girl 
who  knows  her  business  and  you're  your  own 
mistress  and  not  at  the  beck  and  call  of  any  old 
cat,  who  thinks  she  has  bought  you  outright  just 
because  she's  paying  you  starvation  wages," 
she  said  with  a  finely  independent  air.  Then  in 
a  thoroughly  business-like  way  she  went  on  to 
give  the  address  of  the  school  at  which  she  had 
studied  herself  and  had  offered  to  take  Nora 
there  any  evening  the  coming  week. 

In  the  end,  to  Nora 's  great  pleasure,  she  had 
suggested  joining  forces  for  an  outing  on  the 
coming  Sunday.  With  a  gesture  that  seemed  to 
refer  one  to  her  card,  she  had  explained  that 
after  typing  all  week  in  a  stuffy  office  she  always 
tried  to  have  a  Sunday  out  of  doors  to  get  her 
mind  off  her  work.  It  was  arranged  that  they 
should  go  somewhere  together,  leaving  their 
destination  to  be  decided  when  they  met.  They 
were  to  meet  in  front  of  the  National  Gallery 
at  a  quarter  before  ten.  But,  although  poor 


71 

Nora  waited  for  over  an  hour,  her  friend  did 
not  turn  up,  and  she  had  returned  sadly  to  her 
dreary  room.  Neither  of  the  girls  had  thought 
to  exchange  addresses.  Beyond  her  name  and 
occupation  Miss  Hodson's  card  vouchsafed 
nothing. 

Nor  had  Nora  ever  seen  her  again,  although 
she  had  returned  several  times  to  the  restau- 
rant where  they  had  met.  She  had  spent  many 
of  the  long  sleepless  hours  of  the  night  in  specu- 
lation as  to  what  had  become  of  her.  She  was 
sure  that  some  accident  had  befallen  her  or  she 
would  have  met  her  again.  No  one  could  be  so 
cruel  intentionally. 

Once  again  in  a  tea  room  she  had  timidly 
ventured,  prompted  by  sheer  loneliness,  to  speak 
to  an  elderly  woman  with  gray  hair.  It  was  a 
harmless  little  remark  about  some  flowers  in  a 
vase  on  the  counter.  The  woman  had  stared  at 
her  coldly  for  a  moment  before  she  said : 

*  *  I  do  not  seem  to  recall  where  I  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  before." 

A  flash  of  the  old  temper  had  crimsoned 
Nora's  cheek,  but  she  made  no  reply.  Since 
then,  aching  as  she  was  for  a  little  human  com- 
panionship, she  had  spoken  to  no  one. 

She  had  had  two  long  letters  from  Miss  Prin- 
gle,  whose  star  seemed  momentarily  to  be  in  the 
ascendant.  Mrs.  Hubbard  had  been  ordered  to 


72  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

the  seaside;  they  were  later  to  take  a  conti- 
nental trip.  There  was  even  talk  of  consulting  a 
famous  and  expensive  specialist  before  return- 
ing to  the  calm  of  Tunbridge  Wells.  But  pros- 
perity had  not  made  Miss  Pringle  selfish.  In 
the  face  of  the  gift  of  a  costume,  which  Mrs. 
Hubbard  had  actually  never  worn,  having  con- 
ceived a  strong  distaste  for  it  on  its  arrival 
from  the  dressmaker,  she  had  time  to  think  of 
her  less  fortunate  friend. 

While  waiting  for  the  situation  which  was 
sure  to  come  eventually,  why  didn't  Nora  run 
down  to  Brighton  for  a  week  after  the  terrible 
London  heat?  One  could  get  really  very  com- 
fortable lodgings  remarkably  cheap  at  this  sea- 
son. It  would  do  her  no  end  of  good  and,  on 
the  theory  that  a  watched  pot  never  boils,  she 
would  be  certain  to  find  that  there  was  some- 
thing for  her  on  her  return. 

Miss  Pringle 's  brother,  it  seemed,  had  had  a 
turn  of  luck.  Just  what,  she  discreetly  forbore 
to  mention.  Certainly,  it  could  not  have  been 
at  cards.  Nora  smiled  at  the  recollection  of  the 
horror  that  Mr.  Hornby's  remarks  as  to  his 
earnings  from  that  source  had  provoked.  How- 
ever, he  had  most  generously  sent  his  sister  a 
ten-pound  note  as  a  present.  Miss  Pringle  had, 
of  course,  no  possible  use  for  it  at  the  time. 
Also  it  appeared  that  the  thought  of  carrying  it 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  73 

about  with  her,  particularly  as  she  was  going 
among  foreigners,  filled  her  with  positive  ter- 
ror. Therefore,  she  was  enclosing  it  to  Nora  to 
take  care  of.  She  hoped  she  would  use  any  part 
of  it  or  all  of  it.  She  could  return  it  after  they 
returned  'to  Tunbridge  Wells,  provided  that 
Miss  Pringle  survived  the  natural  perils  that 
beset  one  who  ventured  out  of  England.  They 
would  have  started  on  their  journey  before  the 
receipt  of  the  letter.  As  to  their  destination, 
Miss  Pringle  said  never  a  word. 

A  small  envelope  had  fallen  into  her  lap  when 
she  opened  the  letter.  With  dimmed  eyes  Nora 
opened  it.  It  contained  the  ten-pound  note. 

It  was  a  week  later  that  it  occurred  to  Nora  to 
answer  two  advertisements  that  appeared  in  one 
of  the  morning  papers.  In  each  case  it  was  a 
companion  that  was  wanted.  One  of  the  ladies 
lived  at  Whitby  and  pending  the  answer  to  her 
letter  she  decided  to  call  personally  on  the  other, 
who  lived  at  Hampstead. 

The  morning  being  fine,  she  decided  to  make 
an  early  start  and  walk  about  on  Hampstead 
Heath  until  a  suitable  hour  for  making  her  call. 
When  she  finally  arrived  before  the  house,  a 
rather  pretentious  looking  structure  in  South 
Hampstead,  she  was  met  at  the  gate  by  a  mid- 
dle-aged woman  of  unprepossessing  appearance, 
who  inquired  rather  sharply  as  to  her  errand. 


74 

"  Mrs.  Blake's  card  distinctly  said  that  all 
applications  were  to  be  made  in  writing,"  she 
said  disagreeably,  in  reply  to  Nora's  explana- 
tion. 

"  The  one  I  read  did  not,  at  least  I  don't  think 
it  did,"  said  Nora. 

"  Well,  if  it  didn't,  it  should  have,"  said  the 
woman  tartly. 

"  May  I  ask  if  you  are  Mrs.  Blake!  " 

"  Write  and  you  may  find  out;  although 
I  might  as  well  tell  you,  you  won't  answer. 
Mrs.  Blake  will  be  wanting  someone  of  a 
very  different  appearance,"  said  the  woman 
rudely. 

' '  I  am  indeed  unfortunate, ' '  said  Nora  with  a 
bow. 

The  woman  closed  the  gate  with  a  bang  and 
turned  toward  the  house  as  Nora  walked  rapidly 
away.  She  decided  to  answer  no  more  adver- 
tisements. 

One  morning,  at  the  end  of  the  week,  the  post 
brought  her  three  letters.  One  from  its  post- 
mark was  clearly  from  her  brother  in  Canada. 
She  put  that  aside  for  the  moment  to  be  read  at 
her  leisure. 

The  Yorkshire  lady,  it  appeared,  was  blind 
and  required  a  companion  to  read  to  her  and 
to  assist  in  preparing  some  memoirs  which  her 
dead  brother  had  left  uncompleted.  She  of- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  75 

fered  Nora  a  refined  home  with  every  comfort 
that  a  lady  could  desire,  but — there  was  no  sal- 
ary attached  to  the  position.  The  third  was 
from  one  of  the  agencies.  A  client  was  pre- 
pared to  offer  a  lady  companion  the  magnificent 
sum  of  ten  shillings  a  week  and  her  lunch.  Out 
of  her  salary  Nora  would  be  expected,  therefore, 
to  find  herself  a  room,  clothes,  breakfast  and 
supper ! 

Her  brother's  letter  was,  as  always,  kind  and 
affectionate.  He  rather  vaguely  apologized  for 
his  delay  in  replying  to  hers,  written  at  the  time 
of  Miss  Wickham's  death.  He  had  been  fright- 
fully busy,  up  at  dawn  and  so  tired  at  night  that 
he  was  glad  to  tumble  into  bed  right  after  sup- 
per. His  wife,  too,  had  had  a  sharp  spell  of 
sickness.  However,  she  was  all  right  again,  he 
was  glad  to  say.  Why  did  not  Nora  come  out 
to  them?  They  would  be  glad  to  offer  her  a 
comfortable  home,  although  she  must  make  up 
her  mind  to  dispense  with  the  luxuries  she  was 
accustomed  to.  But  there  was  always  plenty 
to  eat  and  a  good  bed,  at  any  rate.  He  knew  she 
would  grow  to  love  the  life  as  he  had  done. 
There  was  a  fine  freedom  about  it.  For  his 
part,  nothing  would  ever  tempt  him  back  to 
England,  except  for  a  visit  when  he  had  put  by 
a  little  more.  She  would  find  his  wife  a  good 
sort.  She,  too,  would  welcome  her  sister-in-law. 


76  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

They  would  be  no  end  of  company  for  each  other 
during  the  long  days  while  the  men  were  away. 
And  she  would  be  glad  to  have  someone  to  lend 
a  hand  about  the  house. 

He  hoped  she  had  been  able  to  save  enough 
money  to  pay  her  passage  out.  If  she  hadn't, 
he  would  somehow  manage  to  send  whatever 
was  necessary.  But  while  he  was  fairly  pros- 
perous, ready  money  was  a  little  more  scarce 
than  usual,  for  the  moment.  His  wife's  illness 
had  been  pretty  expensive,  what  with  hiring  a 
woman  to  do  all  the  work,  etc.,  etc. 

The  letter  settled  it.  On  the  one  hand  was 
this  heart-breaking  waiting  while  watching 
one's  little  hoard  diminish  from  day  to  day  and 
always  the  terrifying  and  unanswerable  ques- 
tion :  What  is  to  be  done  when  it  is  exhausted? 
On  the  other,  a  home  and  the  prospect  that  she 
might  be  able  in  a  measure  to  pay  her  way  by 
helping  her  brother's  wife.  Nora's  house- 
wifely accomplishments  were  but  few,  yet  she 
could  learn,  and  while  learning  she  could  at  least 
take  away  the  sting  of  those  lonely  hours,  as 
her  brother  had  said.  On  one  thing  she  was 
resolved:  she  would  let  bygones  be  bygones. 
She  would  do  everything  in  her  power  to  win  her 
sister-in-law,  forgetting  everything  but  that  she 
was  the  wife  of  her  only  brother. 

The  next  few  days  were  the  happiest  she  had 


77 

known  for  a  long  time.  There  was  a  pleasur- 
able excitement  in  getting  ready  for  so  momen- 
tous a  step.  After  having  paid  her  passage  she 
found  that  she  had  eight  pounds  in  the  world, 
the  result  of  ten  years'  work  as  lady's  com- 
panion. She  wrote  to  let  Mr.  Wynne  know  of 
her  decision  and  enclosed  Miss  Pringle's  bank- 
note to  the  doctor's  wife  with  an  explanatory 
note  asking  her  to  see  that  it  reached  her  hands 
safely.  Miss  Pringle  herself  should  have  a  long 
letter  from  the  New  World  waiting  her  on  her 
return. 

Her  last  day  at  home,  having  satisfied  herself 
that  nothing  was  forgotten,  she  spent  a  long 
hour  in  the  Turner  room  in  the  Tate  Gallery, 
drinking  it  all  in  for  the  last  time.  When  she 
left  the  building  it  was  with  a  feeling  that  the 
last  farewell  to  the  old  life  was  said. 

To  her  great  pleasure  and  a  little  to  her  sur- 
prise, Nora  discovered  herself  to  be  a 
thoroughly  good  sailor.  As  a  consequence,  the 
voyage  to  Montreal  was  quite  the  most  delight- 
ful thing  she  had  ever  experienced.  The  boat 
was  a  slow  one  but  the  time  never  once  seemed 
long.  Indeed,  as  they  approached  their  desti- 
nation, she  found  herself  wishing  that  the  West- 
ern Continent  might,  by  some  convulsion  of  na- 
ture, be  removed,  quite  safely,  an  indefinite 
number  of  leagues  farther,  or  that  they  might 


78 

make  a  detour  by  way  of  the  antipodes,  anything 
rather  than  bring  the  voyage  to  an  end. 

There  were  but  few  passengers  at  this  season 
so  that  beyond  the  daily  exchange  of  ordinary 
courtesies,  she  was  able  to  pass  much  of  the 
time  by  herself.  The  weather  was  unusually  fine 
for  the  time  of  year.  It  was  possible  to  spend 
almost  all  the  daylight  hours  on  deck,  and  with 
night  came  long  hours  of  dreamless  sleep  such 
as  she  never  remembered  to  have  enjoyed  since 
childhood.  As  a  consequence,  it  was  a 
thoroughly  rejuvenated  Nora  that  landed  in 
Montreal.  The  stress  and  strain  of  the  past 
summer  was  forgotten  or  only  to  be  looked  back 
upon  as  a  sort  of  horrid  nightmare  from  which 
she  had  happily  awakened. 

It  was  too  late  in  the  day  after  they  had 
landed  to  think  of  continuing  her  journey.  Be- 
sides, as  is  often  the  case  with  people  who  have 
stood  a  sea  voyage  without  experiencing  any 
disagreeable  sensations,  Nora  found  that  she 
still  felt  the  motion  of  the  boat  after  landing. 

It  seemed  a  pity,  too,  not  to  see  something  of 
this  new- wo  rid  city  while  she  was  on  the  ground. 
Her  brother's  farm  was  still  an  incredible  dis- 
tance farther  west.  People  thought  nothing  of 
distance  in  this  amazing  New  World.  Still,  it 
might  easily  be  long  before  she  would  be  here 
again.  The  future  was  a  blank  page.  There 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  79 

was  a  delightful  irresponsibility  about  the 
thought.  She  had  come  over  the  sea  at  her 
brother's  bidding.  The  future  was  his  care,  not 
hers. 

The  journey  west  had  the  same  charm  of  nov- 
elty that  the  sea  voyage  had  had.  The  nearest 
station  to  Eddie 's  farm  was  a  place  called  Dyer 
in  the  Province  of  Manitoba,  not  far  from  Win- 
nipeg. Once  inured  to  the  new  and  strange 
mode  of  traveling  in  Canada,  so  different  from 
what  she  had  been  accustomed  to,  Nora  pre- 
pared to  enjoy  it.  Never  before  had  she  real- 
ized the  possibilities  of  beauty  in  a  winter  land- 
scape. The  flying  prospect  without  the  window 
fascinated  her.  The  magazines  and  papers 
with  which  she  had  provided  herself  lay  un- 
opened in  her  lap.  She  realized  that  these  vast 
snow-covered  stretches  might  easily  drive  one 
mad  with  their  loneliness  and  desolation  if  one 
had  to  live  among  them.  But  to  rush  through 
them  as  they  were  doing  was  exhilarating.  It 
was  all  so  strange,  so  contrary  to  any  previous 
experience,  that  Nora  had  an  uncanny  feeling 
that  they  might  easily  have  left  the  earth  she 
knew  and  be  flying  through  space.  She  whimsi- 
cally thought  that  if  at  the  next  stop  she  were 
to  be  told  that  she  was  on  the  planet  Mars,  she 
would  not  be  greatly  astonished.  It  was  like 
traveling  with  Alice  in  Wonderland. 


80  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

One  thing,  however,  recalled  her  to  earth  and 
prosaic  mundane  affairs :  her  supply  of  money 
was  rapidly  getting  dangerously  low.  Barring 
accident,  she  would  have  enough  to  get  her  to 
Dyer,  where  Eddie  was  to  meet  her.  But  sup- 
pose they  should  be  snowed  up  for  a  day  or  two  ! 
Only  an  hour  before  she  had  been  thrilled  with 
an  account  of  just  such  an  experience  which  a 
man  in  the  seat  in  front  of  her  was  recounting 
to  his  companion.  Well,  if  that  happened,  she 
would  either  have  to  go  hungry  or  beg  food  from 
the  more  affluent  of  her  fellow-passengers! 
Fortunately  she  was  not  obliged  to  put  their 
generosity  to  the  test.  The  train  arrived  at 
Dyer  without  accident  only  a  few  minutes  be- 
hind the  scheduled  time. 

There  were  a  number  of  people  at  the  station 
as  Nora  alighted.  For  a  moment  she  had  a 
horrid  fear  that  either  she  had  been  put  off  at 
the  wrong  place  or  that  her  brother  had  failed  to 
meet  her.  Certainly  none  of  the  fur-coated  fig- 
ures were  in  the  least  familiar.  But  almost  at 
once  one  of  the  men  detached  himself  from  the 
waiting  group  on  the  platform  and  after  one 
hesitating  second  came  toward  her. 

"  Nora,  my  child,  I  hardly  knew  you!  I  was 
forgetting  that  you  would  be  a  grown  woman," 
and  Nora  was  half  smothered  in  a  furry  em- 
brace and  kissed  on  both  cheeks  before  she  was 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  81 

quite  sure  that  the  advancing  stranger  was  her 
brother. 

"  Oh,  Eddie,  dear,  I  didn't  know  you  at  all. 
But  how  can  one  be  expected  to  with  that  great 
cap  covering  the  upper  part  of  your  face  and  a 
coat  collar  hiding  nearly  all  the  rest.  But  you 
really  haven't  changed,  now  that  I  get  a  look  at 
you.  I  daresay  I  have  altered  more  than  you. 
But  I  was  little  more  than  a  child  when  you  went 
away. '  ' 

"  Well,  we  have  quite  a  little  drive  ahead 
of  us,"  said  Eddie  as,  having  himself  helped  to 
carry  Nora's  trunks  to  a  nondescript-looking 
vehicle  to  which  were  attached  two  horses,  he 
motioned  to  Nora  to  get  in.  "I  expect  you 
won't  be  sorry  to  have  a  little  air  after  being 
so  long  in  a  stuffy  car.'7 

Nora  noticed  that  he  gave  the  man  who  had 
helped  him  with  the  trunks  no  tip  and  that  they 
called  each  other  "Joe"  and  "Ed."  This 
was  democracy  with  a  vengeance.  She  made  a 
little  face  of  disapproval. 

Nora  never  forgot  that  drive.  In  the  light 
of  after-events  it  seemed  to  have  cut  her  off 
more  sharply  from  all  the  old  life  than  either 
the  crossing  of  the  pathless  sea  or  the  long  over- 
Ir.nd  journey.  It  was  taken  for  the  most  part 
in  silence,  Eddie's  attention  being  largely 
taken  up  with  his  team.  Also  Nora  noted  that 


82  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

lie  seemed  to  feel  the  cold  more  than  she  did,  as 
he  kept  his  coat  collar  turned  up  all  the  way. 
She  herself  was  so  occupied  with  her  thoughts 
that  she  had  no  sense  of  either  time  or  distance. 

At  last  they  came  in  sight  of  a  house  such  as 
she  had  never  seen.  It  was  built  entirely  of 
logs.  At  the  sound  of  their  approach,  the  one 
visible  door  opened  on  the  crack  as  if  to  avoid 
letting  in  the  cold,  and  Nora  saw  a  thin  dark 
little  woman  with  rather  a  hard  look  and  a  cu- 
riously dried-up  skin,  whom  she  rightly  guessed 
to  be  her  sister-in-law,  standing  in  the  doorway, 
while  lounging  nonchalantly  against  the  door- 
post was  a  tall,  strong,  well-set-up  young  man 
whose  age  might  have  been  anything  between 
thirty  and  thirty-five.  He  had  remarkably 
clean-cut  features  and  was  clean-shaven.  His 
frankly  humorous  gaze  rested  unabashed  on  the 
stranger's  face. 

Forgetting  all  her  good  resolutions  to  adapt 
herself  to  the  habits  and  customs  of  this  new 
country,  Nora  felt  that  she  could  have  struck 
him  in  his  impudent  face.  The  fact  that  she 
reddened  under  his  scrutiny,  naturally  only 
made  her  the  more  furious. 

"  Come  on  out  here,  some  of  you,"  called 
Eddie  jovially.  "  Heavens!  The  way  you  all 
hug  the  stove  would  make  anyone  believe  you'd 
never  seen  a  Canadian  winter  before  in  your 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  83 

lives.  Here,  Frank,  lend  a  hand  with  these 
trunks  and  call  Ben  to  take  the  horses.  Gertie, 
this  is  Nora.  Now  you  need  never  be  lonely 
again. ' ' 

"  Pleased  to  make  your  acquaintance,"  said 
Gertie  primly. 

The  man  called  Frank,  the  one  who  had  been 
honoring  Nora  with  his  regard,  came  forward 
with  a  hand  outstretched  to  help  her  alight, 
while  another  man,  the  ordinary  type  of  English 
laborer  placed  himself  at  the  horses'  heads. 

"  Come,  hop  out,  Nora." 

There  was  nothing  else  to  do.  Nora  put  the 
very  tips  of  her  fingers  into  the  outstretched 
hand.  To  her  unspeakable  indignation,  she  felt 
herself  lifted  bodily  out  and  actually  carried 
inside  the  door.  At  her  smothered  exclamation, 
Gertie  gave  a  shrill  laugh. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THREE  weeks  had  passed  with  inconceivable 
rapidity,  leaving  Nora  with  the  dazed  feeling 
that  one  has  sometimes  when  waking  from  a 
fantastic  dream. 

There  were  moments  when  she  was  over- 
whelmed with  the  utter  hopelessness  of  ever 
being  able  to  adapt  herself  to  a  mode  of  life  so 
foreign  to  all  her  traditions.  She  had,  she  told 
herself,  been  prepared  to  find  everything  dif- 
ferent from  life  at  home;  and,  while  she  had 
smiled — on  that  day  such  ages  ago  when  young 
Hornby  had  called  on  her  at  Tunbridge  Wells  to 
announce  his  impending  departure  from  the 
land  of  his  birth — at  his  airy  theory  that  the 
life  of  the  Canadian  farmer  was  largely  oc- 
cupied with  riding,  hunting,  dancing  and  tennis, 
she  found  to  her  dismay  that  her  own  mental 
picture  of  her  brother's  existence  had  been 
nearly  as  far  from  the  reality. 

On  the  drive  over  from  the  station,  Eddie 
had  vaguely  remarked  that  he  had  a  great  sur- 
prise for  her  when  she  reached  the  house.  Nora 
had  paid  but  little  attention  at  the  moment, 
thinking  that  he  probably  meant  the  house  itself. 

84 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  85 

"What  had  been  her  astonishment — when  once 
her  rage  at  being  lifted  bodily  from  the  sled  by 
the  man  called  Frank  had  permitted  of  her  feel- 
ing any  other  emotion — to  find  Reginald  Hornby 
himself  an  inmate  of  her  brother's  household. 
There  was  but  little  trace  of  the  ultra  smart 
young  Londoner,  beyond  his  still  carefully  kept 
hair  and  mustache.  The  only  difference  be- 
tween his  costume  and  that  of  the  others  was 
that  his  overalls  were  newer  and  that  his  flannel 
shirt  was  plainly  a  Piccadilly  product. 

Nora  had  known  gentlemen  farmers  in  Eng- 
land who  worked  hard,  riding  about  their  es- 
tates every  day  supervising  and  directing  every- 
thing, and  who  seemed,  from  their  conversation, 
to  take  it  all  seriously  enough.  She  had  made 
all  allowance  for  the  rougher  life  in  a  new  and 
unsettled  country.  There  was  something  pic- 
turesque and  romantic  about  the  frontiersman 
which  had  always  appealed  to  her  imagination. 
She  had  read  a  little  of  him  and  had  seen  a 
play  in  London  the  night  she  recognized  Reggie 
from  afar,  where  the  scene  was  laid  in  the  Far 
West.  On  returning  to  the  hotel  she  had  looked 
with  new  interest  at  Eddie's  photograph  and 
tried  to  picture  him  in  the  costume  worn  by  the 
leading  man. 

But  to  find  that  her  own  brother,  a  man  of 
education  and  refinement,  actually  worked  with 


86  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

his  own  hands  like  a  common  laborer  and — 
what  to  Nora's  mind  was  infinitely  more  in- 
comprehensible— on  a  footing  of  perfect  equal- 
ity with  his  hired  men,  calling  them  familiarly 
by  their  given  names  and  being  called  *  *  Ed  ' '  in 
turn,  was  a  distinctly  disagreable  revelation. 
That  they  should  be  familiar  with  Gertie  was 
quite  another  matter.  Probably  they  were  ac- 
quaintances of  long  standing  dating  back  to  her 
old  hotel  days. 

Her  sister-in-law,  too,  was  absolutely  differ- 
ent from  the  type  she  had  imagined.  Always 
she  had  seen  her  as  one  of  those  vapid,  pretty 
little  creatures  who  had  become  old  long  before 
her  time;  peevish,  spoiled,  inclined  to  be  flirta- 
tious, refusing  to  give  up  her  youth,  still  living 
in  the  recollection  of  her  little  day  of  triumph. 

Gertie  fulfilled  only  one  of  these  conditions. 
She  was  a  small  woman,  not  nearly  so  tall  as 
Nora  herself.  In  all  else  she  was  as  different 
as  possible  from  what  she  had  imagined.  There 
could  never  have  been  anything  of  the  '  clinging 
vine  '  about  Gertie.  As  a  girl  she  might  have 
been  handsome  in  an  almost  masculine  way; 
pretty,  in  the  generally  accepted  sense,  she 
could  never  have  been. 

Her  one  coquetry  seemed  to  be  in  the  matter 
of  shoes.  Her  feet  were  unbelievably  small. 
Nora  divined  that  she  was  inordinately  proud 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  87 

of  them.  While  always  scrupulously  neat,  she 
was  apparently  indifferent  to  clothes  so  long 
as  they  were  clean  and  not  absolutely  shabby. 
But  her  high-heeled  shoes  were  the  smartest 
that  could  be  had  from  Winnipeg. 

And  as  for  her  being  soft  and  spoiled !  Never 
was  there  a  more  tireless  and  hard-working 
creature.  From  early  morning  till  late  at  night 
she  was  never  idle.  She  was  a  perfect  human 
dynamo  of  force  and  energy.  The  cooking  and 
washing  for  the  *  family  *  which,  now  that  Nora 
was  here,  consisted  of  six  persons,  four  of  whom 
were  men  with  the  appetites  which  naturally 
come  with  a  long  day's  work  in  the  open  air, 
in  itself  was  no  light  task.  But,  by  way  of 
recreation,  after  the  supper  dishes  had  been 
washed  up,  Gertie  darned  socks,  mended  shirts, 
patched  trousers  for  the  men  folk  or  sewed  on 
some  garment  for  herself.  Nora  longed  to  see 
her  sit  with  folded  hands  just  once. 

That  she  was  as  devoted  to  her  husband  as 
he  to  her  there  could  be  no  doubt.  All  other 
men  were  a  matter  of  complete  indifference  to 
her.  Were  they  good  workers  or  shirkers  1  That 
was  the  only  thing  about  them  of  any  interest. 
But  she  was  not  the  sort  of  woman  to  show 
tenderness  or  affection. 

Eddie  had  apparently  the  greatest  respect  for 
her  judgment  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the 


88  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

running  of  the  farm.  Frequently  in  the  even- 
ings they  sat  together  in  the  far  corner  of  the 
living  room,  Eddie  talking  in  a  low  voice,  while 
Gertie,  always  at  her  eternal  sewing,  listened 
with  close  attention,  often  nodding  her  head  in 
approval,  but  occasionally  shaking  it  vehe- 
mently when  any  project  failed  to  meet  with 
her  approbation.  Occasionally  her  sharp  bird- 
like  glance  flashed  over  the  other  occupants  of 
the  room:  at  the  three  men  yarning  lazily  by 
the  big  stove  or  playing  cards  at  the  dining 
table  and  at  Nora  making  a  pretense  of  reading 
a  six-months-old  magazine,  or  writing,  her  port- 
folio on  her  knee.  Always,  when  Nora  encoun- 
tered that  glance,  she  understood  its  exultant 
message. 

"  Look,  you,"  it  said  as  plainly  as  if  it  had 
been  couched  in  actual  words,  "  look  at  me 
ruling  over  my  little  court,  advising,  as  a  queen 
might,  with  her  prime  minister.  You  think 
yourself  my  superior,  you  with  your  fine-lady's 
airs  and  graces!  A  pretty  pass  your  education 
and  accomplishments  have  brought  you  to.  Of 
what  use  are  you  to  anyone?  ' 

There  was  no  blinking  the  fact:  the  antag- 
onism between  the  two  women  was  too  instinc- 
tive, too  deep  ever  to  be  more  than  superficially 
covered  over.  They  each  recognized  it.  And 
yet  neither  was  wholly  to  blame.  It  had  its 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  89 

roots  in  conditions  that  were  far  more  signifi- 
cant than  mere  personal  feeling. 

Nora,  for  her  part,  had  come  to  her  brother's 
house  with  the  sincere  intention  of  doing  every- 
thing in  her  power  to  win  her  sister-in-law's 
good  will  if  not  affection.  She  had  believed  that 
their  common  fondness  for  Eddie  would  be  a 
sure  foundation  on  which  to  build.  But  from 
the  first,  without  being  at  all  conscious  of  it, 
her  manner  breathed  patronage  and  disapproval 
of  a  mode  of  life  so  foreign  to  all  her  experi- 
ence. She  had  made  the  resolution  to  remem- 
ber nothing  of  Gertie's  humble  origin,  to  treat 
her  in  every  way  with  the  deference  due  her 
brother's  wife. 

Gertie,  too,  had  made  good  resolutions.  She 
was  at  heart  the  more  generous  nature  of  the 
two.  She  was  prepared  to  find  her  husband's 
sister  unskilled  to  the  point  of  incompetency  in 
all  the  housewifely  lore  of  which  she  was  past 
mistress ;  for  she,  too,  had  her  traditions.  She 
would  have  laughed  at  the  idea  that  it  was  pos- 
sible for  her  to  be  jealous  of  anybody.  But 
secretly  she  knew  that  there  was  one  thing 
which  aroused  in  her  a  frenzy  of  jealous  rage ; 
that  was  those  years  of  her  husband's  life  in 
which  she  had  neither  part  nor  lot.  Any  refer- 
ence to  his  old  life  '  at  home  '  fairly  maddened 
her. 


90  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

And  deep  down  in  her  heart,  each  woman 
nursed  a  grievance.  "With  Gertie  it  was  the 
remembrance  of  the  angry  letter  of  protest 
which  Nora  had  written  her  brother  when  she 
learned  of  his  approaching  marriage  and  which 
he  had  been  indiscreet  enough  to  show  her; 
with  Nora,  it  was  the  recollection  of  Gertie's 
laugh  the  night  of  her  arrival  when  her  broth- 
er's hired  servant  had  dared  to  take  her  for  a 
moment  in  his  arms. 

Still,  any  open  rupture  might  have  been 
avoided  or  at  least  delayed  for  several  months 
longer,  if  either  could  have  been  persuaded  to 
exercise  a  little  more  patience  and  self-control. 
Each  of  them,  in  her  different  way,  had  known 
adversity.  Both  of  them  had  had  to  learn  to 
control  tempers  naturally  high  while  they  were 
still  dependent.  But  it  never  occurred  to  either 
of  them  that  the  obligation  to  do  so  still  ex- 
isted. 

From  Gertie's  point  of  view,  Nora  was  just 
as  much  a  dependent  as  in  the  days  when  she 
was  a  hired  companion  to  a  rich  woman.  It 
was  her  house  in  law  and  in  fact,  for  her  hus- 
band had  made  it  over  to  her.  It  was  her  bread 
that  she  ate,  her  bed  she  slept  in.  It  behooved 
her,  therefore,  to  be  a  little  less  lofty  and  con- 
descending. She  had  always  known  how  it  would 
be,  and  it  was  only  because  the  project  seemed 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  91 

so  near  her  husband's  heart  that  she  had  con- 
sented to  such  an  experiment. 

In  simple  justice  it  must  be  said  that  such 
a  thought  had  never  entered  Nora's  head.  She 
had  accepted  gladly  her  brother's  invitation  to 
make  her  home  with  him.  What  more  natural 
that  he  should  offer  it,  now  that  he  was  able 
to  do  so?  In  return  she  was  perfectly  willing 
to  do  everything  she  could  to  help  in  all  the 
woman's  work  about  the  house  as  far  as  her  ig- 
norance would  permit.  It  could  hardly  be  ex- 
pected that  she  would  be  as  proficient  in  house- 
hold work  as  a  person  who  had  done  it  all  her 
life.  She  was  more  than  willing  to  concede  her 
sister-in-law's  superiority  in  all  such  matters. 
And  she  was  perfectly  ready  to  learn  all  that 
Gertie  would  teach  her.  She  had,  in  everything, 
been  prepared  to  meet  her  half-way;  further 
she  would  not  go.  For  the  rest,  it  was  her 
brother's  place  to  protect  her. 

Sadly  Nora  confessed  to  herself  that  Eddie 
had  deteriorated  in  a  degree  that  she  could  not 
have  believed  possible.  The  first  shock  had 
come  when  they  sat  down  to  supper  the  night 
of  her  arrival.  To  her  amazed  disgust,  they 
had  all  eaten  at  the  same  table,  hired  men  and 
all.  And  then,  to  see  her  brother,  a  gentleman 
by  birth,  breeding  and  training,  sitting  down  at 
his  own  table  in  his  shirt-sleeves ! 


92  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Her  own  seat  was  on  the  right  of  her  sister- 
in-law,  next  Reginald  Hornby.  All  the  men  ex- 
cept Eddie  wore  overalls.  He  had  replaced  his 
with  an  old  black  waistcoat  and  a  pair  of  grubby 
dark  trousers.  Nora  wondered  sarcastically  if 
his  more  formal  costume  was  in  honor  of  her 
arrival,  but  quickly  remembered  that  he  had 
had  to  drive  to  Dyer.  It  was  cold  outside ;  prob- 
ably these  festive  garments  were  warmer.  She 
found  herself  speculating  as  to  whether  any  of 
the  men  owned  anything  but  outer  coats. 

There  hadn  't  been  much  general  conversation 
at  that  first  meal.  Naturally,  Eddie  had  had 
many  questions  to  ask  about  old  acquaintances 
in  England.  Nora  had  given  her  first  impres- 
sions of  travel  in  the  New  World,  addressing 
many  of  her  remarks  to  Gertie,  who  had  been 
noticeably  silent.  Through  all  her  bright  talk 
the  thought  would  obtrude  itself :  ' '  What  can 
Reggie  Hornby  think  of  my  brother?  " 

She  had  an  angry  consciousness,  too,  that  she 
was  unwittingly  furnishing  much  amusement  to 
that  objectionable  person  opposite,  whose  name 
she  learned  was  Frank  Taylor.  She  meant  to 
speak  to  Eddie  about  him  later.  He  was  an  en- 
tirely new  type  to  her.  His  fellow  servant, 
whose  name  was  Trotter,  on  the  contrary,  could 
be  seen  about  London  any  day,  an  ordinary,  ig- 
norant Cockney.  He,  at  least,  had  the  merit  of 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  93 

seeming  to  know  his  place  and  how  to  conduct 
himself  in  the  presence  of  his  betters,  and  ex- 
cept when  asking  for  more  syrup,  of  which 
he  seemed  inordinately  fond,  kept  discreetly 
silent. 

But  the  idea  that  there  was  any  difference  in 
their  stations  was  not  betrayed  in  Taylor's  look 
or  manner.  He  commented  humorously  from 
time  to  time  on  Nora's  various  experiences  com- 
ing overland,  quite  oblivious,  to  all  appearances, 
that  she  pointedly  ignored  him.  Nora  had  ar- 
rived at  that  point  in  her  gay  recital  when  she 
had  had  qualms  that  her  brother  had  failed  to 
meet  her. 

I  i  You  can  fancy  how  I  felt  getting  down  at 
a  perfectly  strange  station ' 

She  was  interrupted  by  Gertie's  irritating 
little  laugh. 

"  But  what  have  I  said?    What  is  it?  " 
It  was  Taylor  who  replied. 

II  Well,  you  see  out  here  in  the  wilderness 
we  don't  call  it  a  station,  we  call  it  a  depot." 

"  Do  you  really?  "  asked  Nora  with  exag- 
gerated surprise,  looking  at  her  brother. 

"  Custom  of  the  country,"  he  said  smilingly. 

"  But  a  depot  is  a  place  where  stores  are 
kept." 

"  Of  course  I  don't  know  what  you  call  it  in 
England,"  said  Gertie  aggressively,  "  but  while 


94  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

you're  in  this  country,  I  guess  you'd  better  call 
it  what  other  folks  do. ' ' 

"  It  would  be  rather  absurd  for  me  to  call 
it  that  when  it's  wrong,"  said  Nora,  flushing 
with  annoyance. 

Gertie's  thin  lips  tightened. 

"'Of  course  I  don't  pretend  to  have  had  very 
much  schooling,  but  it  seems  to  me  I've  read 
something  somewhere  about  doing  as  the  Ro- 
mans do  when  you're  livin'  with  them.  At  any 
rate,  I'm  sure  of  one  thing:  it's  considered  the 
polite  thing  to  do  in  any  country. ' ' 

The  feeling  that  she  had  been  put  in  the 
wrong,  even  if  not  very  tactfully,  did  not  tend 
to  lessen  Nora's  annoyance.  She  looked  ap- 
pealingly  at  her  brother,  but  he,  leaning  back 
in  his  chair  and  seeing  that  his  wife's  eyes  were 
bent  on  her  plate,  shook  his  head  at  her,  smiling 
slightly. 

' '  If  everyone  has  finished, ' '  said  Gertie  after 
an  awkward  pause,  "  if  you'll  all  move  your 
chairs  away  I'll  clear  away  the  things." 

* '  May  I  help  you  ?  ' '  said  Nora  with  an  effort 
at  conciliation. 

"  No,  thanks." 

"  No,  no.  You're  company  to-night,"  said 
her  brother  with  a  man's  relief  at  finding  an 
unpleasant  situation  at  an  end.  "  But  I  dare- 
say to-morrow  Gertie '11  find  plenty  for  you  to 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE  95 

do.  We  '11  all  be  out  till  dinner  time.  You  girls 
will  have  a  lot  to  talk  over  while  you  're  getting 
acquainted." 

Hornby  groaned  dismally. 

"  It  doesn't  make  any  difference  what  the 
weather  is  in  this  blessed  country,"  he  said  dis- 
mally to  Nora,  "  you  have  to  go  out  whether 
there's  really  anything  to  do  or  not." 

"  That's  so,"  laughed  Taylor;  "  still  I  think 
you'll  admit  the  Boss  always  manages  to  find 
something  to  fill  up  the  time. ' ' 

"  That  he  does,"  said  Hornby  with  another 
hollow  groan. 

"  The  last  time  I  saw  you,"  said  Nora,  "  you 
were  calling  poor  old  England  all  sorts  of  dread- 
ful names.  Isn't  farming  in  Canada  all  your 
fancy  painted  it !  " 

Gertie  paused  in  the  act  of  pouring  water 
from  the  kettle  into  the  dishpan.  "  Not  a  bit 
like  it,"  she  said  dryly.  "  He's  like  most  of 
the  English  I've  run  up  against.  They  think  all 
you've  got  to  do  is  just  to  sit  down  and  have 
afternoon  tea  and  watch  the  crops  grow  by 
themselves." 

11  Oh,  come  now,  Gertie.  You've  never  had 
to  accuse  me  of  loafing,  and  I'm  an  English- 
man," said  her  husband  good-naturedly. 

"  I  said  'most.'  " 

"  And    as    for    afternoon    tea,"    broke    in 


96  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Hornby,  "  I  don't  believe  they  have  that  sacred 
institution  in  the  whole  blessed  country." 

"  You  have  tea  with  all  your  meals.  Men  out 
here  have  something  else  to  do  but  sit  indoors 
afternoons  and  eat  between  meals." 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Nora  after  a  pause, 
"  it  isn't  nearly  so  cold  as  I  expected  to  find  it. 
Don't  you  usually  have  it  much  colder  than 
this?  " 

"  It's  rarely  colder  until  later  in  the  season. 
But  Frank,  here,  who's  our  champion  weather 
prophet,  says  it 's  going  to  be  an  exceptional  sea- 
son with  hardly  any  snow  at  all. ' ' 

Nora  had  been  conscious  all  through  the  even- 
ing that  Taylor  had  hardly  once  taken  his  eyes 
from  her  face.  She  looked  directly  at  him  for 
the  first  time,  to  find  him  watching  her  with  a 
look  of  quiet  amusement. 

1 1  That  would  indeed  be  an  exceptional  season, 
if  all  one  hears  of  the  rigors  of  the  climate  be 
true, ' '  she  said  coldly. 

"  Every  season  in  this  country  is  excep- 
tional," he  said  humorously;  "if  it  isn't  ex- 
ceptional one  way,  it's  sure  to  be  exceptional 
the  other." 

"  Fetch  me  those  pants  of  yours,"  said  Gertie 
to  Trotter. 

He  left  the  room,  to  return  shortly  with  the 
desired  articles,  exhibiting  a  yawning  tear  in 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  97 

one  of  the  knees.  Gertie  at  once  set  about  mend- 
ing them  in  the  same  workmanlike  manner  that 
she  did  everything. 

11  Doesn't  she  ever  rest?  "  asked  Nora  in  an 
undertone  of  Hornby. 

"  Never,"  he  whispered.  "  Her  one  recrea- 
tion is  abusing  me.  I  fancy  you'll  come  in 
for  a  little  of  the  same  medicine.  She's  plan- 
ning an  amusing  winter,  I  can  see  that 
already." 

"  I  think,  if  I  may,  I'll  ask  you  to  excuse  me," 
said  Nora,  rising  abruptly.  "  I'm  a  little  tired 
after  my  long  journey.  Oh,  how  good  it'll  be 
to  find  oneself  in  a  real  bed  again. ' ' 

''I'm  sure  you  must  be,"  said  her  brother. 
"  Nora  knows  where  her  room  is?  "  he  said, 
turning  to  his  wife. 

"  She  was  up  before  supper;  she  can't  very 
well  have  forgotten  the  way.  The  house  is  small 
after  what  she's  been  accustomed  to,  I  dare 
say." 

"  Thank  you,  I  can  find  it  again  easily,"  said 
Nora  hastily.  "  I'll  see  you  at  breakfast,  Ed- 
die? '  She  crossed  over  to  where  Gertie  was 
sewing  busily.  "  Good  night — Gertie.  I  hope 
you  will  not  find  me  too  stupid  about  learning 
things.  You'll  find  me  willing,  anyway,"  she 
said  almost  humbly. 

Gertie  looked  up  at  her  with  real  kindness. 


98  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Willing 's  half  the  battle,"  she  said  in  a 
softened  tone. 

As  Nora  was  leaving  the  room,  satisfied  at 
having  done  her  part  as  far  as  Gertie  was  con- 
cerned, she  was  recalled  by  Taylor's  drawling 
tone. 

"  Oh,  Miss  Nora,  you're  forgetting  some- 
thing." 

"Ami?    What?" 

"  You're  forgetting  to  say  *  good  night  '  to 
me." 

''Why,  so  I  am!  " 

She  could  hear  them  laugh  as  she  left  the1 
room.  And  so  ended  the  first  day  in  her  broth- 
er's house. 

Breakfast  the  next  morning  was  of  the  most 
hurried  description.  Gertie  herself  did  not  sit 
down  until  the  men  had  gone,  being  chiefly  oc- 
cupied with  baking  some  sort  of  hot  cakes  which 
were  new  to  Nora,  who  confined  herself  to  an 
egg  and  some  tea.  She  secretly  longed  for  some 
toast;  but  as  no  one  else  seemed  to  have  any, 
she  refrained  from  making  her  wants  known. 
Perhaps  later,  when  she  was  more  familiar  with 
the  ways  of  this  strange  household,  she  would 
be  permitted  to  make  some  for  herself  when  she 
wanted  it. 

While  Her  sister-in-law  was  eating  her  break- 
fast, Nora  stood  looking  out  of  the  window  at 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  99 

the  vast  expanse  of  snow-covered  country  with 
never  a  house  in  sight.  Already  there  were 
signs  that  Taylor 's  prophecy  would  be  fulfilled. 
The  sun,  which  had  been  up  only  a  few  hours, 
shone  brightly,  and  already  the  air  had  lost 
much  of  its  sharpness.  It  was  distinctly  warmer 
than  it  had  been  the  day  before. 

At  the  first  sign  that  Gertie  had  finished  her 
breakfast,  Nora  began  to  gather  the  things  to- 
gether for  washing,  wisely  not  waiting  to  ask 
permission.  If  possible,  Gertie  seemed  to  be 
less  inclined  for  conversation  in  the  early  morn- 
ing than  at  night.  They  finished  the  task  in 
unbroken  silence.  When  the  last  dish  had  been 
put  away,  Gertie  spoke : 

"  Can  you  bake?  " 

"  I  have  baked  cakes." 

'  *  How  about  bread  and  biscuits  f  ' ' 

"  I  Ve  never  tried  them. ' ' 

"Umph!  " 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  learn,  if  you  would  be 
good  enough  to  teach  me." 

1 '  I  have  little  time  for  teaching, ' '  said  Gertie 
ungraciously.  "  But  you  can  watch  how  I  do 
it  and  maybe  you'll  learn  something." 

"  Can  you  wash  and  iron?  "  said  Gertie  while 
she  was  kneading  her  dough. 

"  Of  course  I  can  iron  and  I  can  wash  lace." 

1 '  People  round  here  wear  more  flannel  shirts 


100          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

than  lace.   I  suppose  you  never  washed  any  flan- 
nels? " 

1 1  No,  never. '  > 

"  Have  you  ever  done  any  scrubbing!  " 

' '  Of  course  not. '  '  Nora  was  beginning  to  find 
this  catechism  a  little  trying. 

* '  Not  work  for  a  lady,  I  suppose.  Just  what 
does  a  companion  do?  " 

"  It  depends.  She  does  whatever  her  em- 
ployer requires;  reads  aloud,  acts  as  secretary, 
goes  riding  and  shopping  with  the  lady  she 
lives  with,  arranges  the  flowers,  everything  of 
that  sort." 

"  Oh.    But  nothing  really  useful." 

Nora  gave  an  angry  laugh.  "  It's  clear  that 
some  people  consider  a  companion's  work  use- 
ful, since  they  employ  them." 

"  You  take  pay  for  it;  after  all,  it's  much 
the  same  as  being  a  servant." 

11  It's  not  at  all  the  same." 

1 1  Ed  tells  me  that  sometimes  when  Miss  Wick- 
ers, Wickham — whatever  her  name  was 

"  Miss  Wickham." 

1 '  That  when  Miss  Wickham  had  company  for 
dinner,  you  had  to  have  your  dinner  alone." 

"  That  is  true." 

"  Then  she  considered  you  sort  of  a  serv- 
ant," said  Gertie  triumphantly.  Nora  was  si- 
lent. Gertie  having  cut  her  dough  into  small 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          101 

round  pieces  with  a  tin  cutter  and  put  them  into 
her  pans,  went  toward  the  oven. 

"  And  yet  you  object  to  eating  at  the  same 
table  with  the  hired  men." 

Having  satisfied  herself  that  the  oven  was  at 
the  proper  heat,  she  shut  the  door  with  a 
bang. 

"  I've  said  nothing  about  it." 

"  You  didn't  need  to." 

"  But  I  most  certainly  do  object  to  it  and 
I  can't  for  the  life  of  me  see  the  necessity 
of  it." 

"  I  was  what  you  call  a  servant  for  years; 
I  suppose  you  object  to  eating  at  the  table  with 
me." 

"  What  perfect  nonsense!  It's  not  at  all  the 
same  thing.  You're  my  brother's  wife  and  the 
mistress  of  his  house." 

"  Yes,  I'm  the  mistress  of  the  house  all 
right,"  said  Gertie  grimly. 

"  Frank  Taylor's  an  uncommonly  handsome 
man,  isn't  he"?  " 

"  I  really  haven't  noticed." 

"  What  perfect  nonsense !  "  mimicked  Gertie. 
"  Of  course  you've  noticed.  Any  woman  would 
notice  him." 

"  Then  I  must  be  different  from  other 
women." 

"  Oh,  no,  you're  not;  you  only  think  you  are. 


102          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

At  bottom  women  are  all  alike,  take  it  from  me, 
and  I  Ve  known  a  few. ' ' 

"  If  I  can  be  of  no  help  to  you  here,  I  think 
I'll  go  and  unpack  my  box,"  said  Nora.  She 
felt  as  if  she  had  borne  all  she  possibly  could. 

"  As  you  like." 

Once  in  her  own  room,  Nora  found  it  hard 
to  keep  back  her  angry  tears.  Only  the  thought 
that  her  reddened  eyes  would  betray  her  to  Ger- 
tie at  dinner  kept  her  from  having  a  good  cry. 


CHAPTER  VH 

THAT  one  morning  was  a  fair  sample  of  all 
the  other  days.  Each  suspected  the  other, 
neither  would  make  allowances  or  concessions. 
As  a  consequence,  day  by  day  the  breach 
widened.  Even  Eddie,  who  was  more  unobserv- 
ing  than  most  men,  felt  vaguely  uncomfortable 
in  the  surcharged  atmosphere.  From  the  first 
Nora  realized  that  it  was  an  unequal  contest; 
Gertie  was  too  strongly  intrenched  in  her  posi- 
tion. But  it  was  not  in  her  nature  to  refrain 
from  administering  those  little  thrusts,  which 
women  know  so  well  how  to  deal  one  another, 
from  any  motive  of  policy.  The  question  of 
what  she  should  do  once  her  brother's  house 
became  intolerable  she  never  permitted  herself 
to  ask. 

In  the  needle-pricking  mode  of  warfare  she 
was,  of  course,  far  more  expert  than  her  rival. 
But  if  Gertie's  hand  was  clumsy  it  was  also 
heavy.  And  always  in  the  back  of  her  mind 
was  the  consciousness  that  she,  so  to  speak, 
had  at  least  one  piece  of  heavy  artillery  which 
she  could  bring  up  once  the  enemy's  fire  became 
unendurable. 

103 


104          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

During  the  day,  the  men  being  out  of  the 
house  except  at  meal  time,  there  was  to  a  cer- 
tain degree,  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  Nora 
gradually  acquired  some  knowledge  of  house- 
work. She  learned  to  cook  fairly  well  and  al- 
ways helped  with  the  washing,  rarely  complain- 
ing of  her  aching  arms  and  back.  The  only 
indication  she  had  that  she  was  making  prog- 
ress was  that  Gertie  complained  less.  Praise, 
of  course,  was  not  to  be  expected. 

At  dinner  the  men  were  usually  too  anxious 
to  get  back  to  work — always  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Hornby,  who  according  to  his  own  highly 
colored  account,  had  been  assigned  the  her- 
culean task  of  splitting  all  the  wood  required 
by  the  Province  of  Manitoba  for  the  ensuing 
winter — to  linger  longer  than  the  time  required 
for  smoking  a  hurried  pipe,  so  that  it  was  only 
during  the  long  evenings  that  hostilities  were 
resumed.  And  then,  more  or  less  under  cover. 

There  was  one  person  upon  whom  Nora  could 
openly  vent  her  nervous  irritation  after  a  long 
day  in  Gertie's  society,  and  that  was  Frank 
Taylor.  They  quarreled  constantly,  to  the 
great  amusement  of  the  others.  But  with  him, 
too,  she  felt  hopelessly  at  a  disadvantage.  He 
was  maddeningly  sure  of  himself,  and  while 
he  sometimes  gave  back  thrust  for  thrust,  he 
never  lost  his  temper.  Seemingly,  nothing 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          105 

could  penetrate  his  armor  of  good  nature,  nor 
make  him  comprehend  that  she  really  meant  her 
bitter  words.  Slow  of  movement  and  speech, 
his  mind  was  alert  enough,  and  Nora  had  to 
admit  to  herself,  although  she  always  openly 
denied  it,  that  he  had  humor.  To  lose  one's 
own  temper  in  a  wordy  passage  at  arms  and 
find  one's  opponent  still  smiling  and  serene  is 
not  a  soothing  experience. 

Often,  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  after  she 
had  gone  to  bed,  she  could  feel  her  cheek  burn 
at  the  recollection  that  this  '  ignorant  clod,'  as 
she  contemptuously  called  him  to  herself,  had 
the  power  to  make  her  feel  a  weak,  undisci- 
plined child  by  merely  never  losing  his  self- 
control. 

There  would  have  been  consolation  in  the 
thought  that  in  his  stupidity  he  did  not  under- 
stand how  she  despised  him,  how  infinitely  be- 
neath her  she  considered  him,  had  it  not  been 
darkened  by  the  suspicion  that  he  understood 
perfectly  well  and  didn't  care. 

How  dared  he,  how  dared  he! 

She  had  complained  of  his  familiar  manner 
to  her  brother  a  day  or  two  after  her  arrival. 
But  he  had  given  her  neither  support  nor  con- 
solation. 

"  My  dear  Nora,"  he  said,  "  we  are  not  back 
in  England.  The  sooner  you  forget  all  the  old 


106          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

notions  of  class  and  class  distinctions,  the 
happier  you'll  be.  They  won't  go  here.  As 
long  as  a  man's  straight,  honest  and  a  worker 
— and  Frank's  all  three — it  doesn't  make  any 
odds  whether  he's  working  for  himself  or  for 
someone  else.  We're  all  on  the  same  footing. 
It  is  only  due  to  the  fact  that  I've  had  two 
good  years  in  succession  that  I'm  not  some- 
body's *  hired  man  '  myself." 

"  Don't,  Eddie,  don't;  you  don't  realize  how 
you  hurt  me." 

"  My  dear  girl,  I'm  sorry;  but  I'm  in  dead 
earnest." 

"  You,  a  hired  man?    Oh,  I  can't  believe  it." 

"  It's  true,  nevertheless.  Plenty  of  better 
fellows  than  I  have  had  to  do  it.  When  you're 
starting  in,  unless  you  have  a  good  deal  bigger 
capital  than  I  had,  you  only  need  to  be  hailed 
out,  frosted  out,  or  weeded  out  a  couple  of 
years  in  succession  to  use  up  your  little  stake, 
and  then  where  are  you?  ' 

'  *  What  do  you  mean  by  *  weeded  out  '  ?  ' 

He  was  just  about  to  explain  when  a  halloo 
from  the  stables  cut  him  short.  "  There's 
Frank  now.  I  ought  to  be  out  helping  him  this 
minute;  we've  got  a  good  stiff  drive  ahead  of 
us.  You  ask  Gertie  about  it,  she'll  explain  it 
to  you." 

But  Gertie  had  been  deeply  preoccupied  with 


,  THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          107 

some  domestic  problem  and  Nora  had  forborne 
to  question  her.  She  had  intended  returning 
to  the  subject  that  evening,  but  Eddie  and  Ger- 
tie were  deep  in  one  of  their  conferences  until 
nearly  bedtime.  It  would  never  have  suggested 
itself  to  her  to  seek  any  information  from  the 
objectionable  Frank,  so  under  cover  of  a  heated 
discussion  between  him  and  Trotter,  she  ap- 
pealed to  Reggie. 

"  What  does  it  mean  to  be  weeded  out?  ' 

"  Oh,  Lord,  I  don't  know!  Kicked  out,  I 
suppose.  Isn't  there  something  in  the  Bible 
about  tares  and  wheat?  " 

"  Nonsense;  it  doesn't  mean  that.  I'd  for- 
gotten, by  the  way,  how  strong  you  were  on 
Biblical  references.  Do  you  remember  your  dis- 
cussion about  Sarah  and  Benjamin  with  Agnes 
Pringle?  " 

*  *  Of  course  I  do.  And  I  completely  stumped 
her;  don't  you  recollect?  " 

"  Goose!  She  only  wanted  to  make  you  look 
it  up  for  yourself.  But  being  *  weeded  out  '  is 
something  disastrous  that  happens  to  the  farm- 
ers here,  like  having  the  crops  frozen." 

11  Well,  it  hasn't  happened  since  I've  been 
here,  anyway.  But  I'll  bet  you  a  bob  it 
means  kicked  out.  I  tell  you,  I'll  ask  Gertie 
if  she  doesn't  think  that  I  ought  to  be  weeded 
out." 


108          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

*'"  You'd  better  not,"  laughed  Nora. 

The  first  open  quarrel  had  taken  place  one 
day  at  dinner. 

The  night  before  Nora  had  proposed  making 
her  first  attempt  at  baking  bread.  Gertie  had 
given  a  grudging  consent.  Everything  had  gone 
well  until  the  bread,  once  in  the  oven,  Nora  had 
gone  to  her  room  to  add  some  pages  to  a  long 
letter  which  she  had  begun  some  evenings  be- 
fore to  Agnes  Pringle. 

Gertie  had  been  out  in  one  of  the  barns  most 
of  the  morning  engaged  in  some  mysterious 
task  which  she  had  been  reserving  until  the 
weather  became  milder — there  had  been  a  de- 
cided thaw,  setting  in  the  day  before — and  Nora 
intended  to  be  gone  only  a  short  time. 

Filled  with  a  warm  feeling  of  gratitude  to 
Miss  Pringle  for  her  generous  loan  of  the  ten- 
pound  note,  she  was  writing  her  a  long  letter 
in  the  form  of  a  diary  describing  her  voyage 
across  the  Atlantic  and  the  trip  across  the  Con- 
tinent, both  of  which  she  was  sure  would  greatly 
interest  her  friend  and  furnish  her  with  topics 
for  her  tete-a-tete  dinners  with  the  excellent 
Mrs.  Hubbard  for  some  days  to  come. 

Of  the  difficulties  and  disappointments  in  her 
new  life  she  was  resolved  to  say  nothing.  Nora 
hated  to  confess  that  she  had  failed  in  anything. 
And,  so  far,  she  could  hardly  say  that  she  had 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          109 

made  a  success.  Later  on,  she  might  have  to 
acknowledge  that  her  move  had  been  a  mistake. 
But  for  the  moment  she  would  confine  herself 
to  describing  all  that  struck  her  as  novel  and 
strange  while  the  impression  was  still  fresh, 
while  she  still  had  the  '  seeing  eye.' 

"  When  I  came  to  the  end  of  my  last  page 
(and  I  remember  that  I  was  getting  extremely 
sleepy  at  that  point),"  she  wrote,  "  I  had  just 
finished  describing  the  exterior  of  my  brother's 
house  to  you.  I  am  sure  I  can  never  do  justice 
to  the  interior !  You  can  never  have  seen,  much 
less  imagined,  anything  in  the  least  like  it.  I 
have  decided,  upon  reflection,  that  it  is  the  most 
un-English  thing  I  have  seen  yet:  and  I  have 
not  forgotten  those  strange  railway  carriages 
either. 

"  Try  to  imagine  a  large  room,  longer  than 
it  is  deep,  at  once  living-room,  dining-room  and 
kitchen;  with  nothing  but  rough  brown  boards 
for  walls,  on  which — some  framed,  some  un- 
framed — are  the  colored  supplementc  of  the 
Christmas  illustrated  papers,  both  English  and 
American.  Over  one  of  the  doors  is  a  mag- 
nificent trophy — at  least  that  is  what  we  would 
call  it  at  home — I  think  it  is  a  moose.  I  am  not 
at  all  sure,  although  I  have  been  told  more  than 
once.  Over  another  door  is  a  large  clock,  such 
a  one  as  one  finds  in  a  broker's  office  with  us. 


110          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

The  floor  is  covered  with  what  is  called  oil- 
cloth— I  wonder  why:  it  certainly  is  not  the 
least  like  cloth — very  new  and  excessively 
shiny.  It  has  a  conventional  pattern  in  black 
and  white,  and  when  the  sun  shines  on  it,  it 
quite  dazzles  one's  eyes. 

"  There  are  two  windows,  one  to  the  south, 
the  other  looking  west.  The  western  view  is 
magnificent.  I  feel  as  if  I  could  see  straight 
away  to  the  setting  sun!  In  the  summer,  when 
the  prairie  is  one  great  waving  green  sea,  it 
must  be  superb.  Two  days  ago  it  was  covered 
with  snow.  As  I  write,  I  can  see  great  patches 
of  brown  every  here  and  there,  for  we  have  had 
a  sudden  thaw.  The  window  sills  are  filled  with 
geraniums  planted,  my  dear,  in  tins  which  once 
contained  syrup,  of  which  everyone  here,  in- 
cluding my  brother,  seems  extravagantly  fond. 
The  syrup  jug  appears  regularly  at  every  meal 
and  is  almost  the  first  thing  put  on  the  table. 
I  have  yet  to  acquire  a  taste  for  it — which  they 
all  think  extremely  queer. 

"  The  furniture  consists  of  two  American 
rockers  and  a  number  of  kitchen  chairs ;  an  un- 
varnished deal  dresser  covered  with  earthen- 
ware;— I  don't  think  there  are  any  two  pieces 
that  match! — two  tables,  one  a  dining  table;  a 
bookcase  containing  a  few  paper-backed  novels 
and  some  magazines,  none  so  recent,  however, 


Ill 

as  those  I  saw  before  I  left  England;  and  last 
and  most  important,  an  enormous  American 
cooking  stove. 

"  Our  principal  meal,  called  dinner,  is " 

Great  heavens,  her  bread ! 

Nora  dashed  from  her  room.  Gertie  was 
standing  at  one  of  the  windows  in  the  un- 
wonted indulgence  of  a  moment's  leisure.  Nora 
threw  open  the  oven  door.  It  was  empty. 

"  Oh,  did  you  look  after  my  loaf,  Gertie! 
I'm  so  sorry;  I  quite  forgot  it." 

"  Yes,  I  took  it  out  a  few  moments  ago." 

She  still  had  her  face  turned  toward  the 
window,  so  Nora  did  not  see  the  smile  that 
curled  her  lip.  She  turned  after  a  moment, 
and  the  two  women  began  to  set  the  table  for 
dinner. 

Presently  the  men  were  heard  laughing  out- 
side as  they  cleaned  their  muddy  boots  on  the 
scraper.  Eeggie  had  apparently  achieved 
something  new.  His  ignorance  of  everything 
pertaining  to  farming  furnished  the  material 
for  most  of  the  amusement  that  was  going. 
Fortunately,  he  was  always  good-natured. 
Gertie,  with  unusual  good  spirits,  entered 
into  the  joke  of  the  thing  at  once  and  even 
bantered  Reggie  playfully  upon  his  latest  dis- 
covery. 

Nora  did  not  even  hear  what  it  was  all  about. 


112          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

She  was  searching  for  the  bread  plate  which 
always  stood  on  the  dresser. 

11  Why,  Gertie,  I " 

"  It's  all  right,"  said  Gertie,  without  look- 
ing up  from  pouring  the  tea.  "  I  took  it.  I'll 
get  it  in  a  minute.  Come,  sit  down." 

Nora  obeyed. 

Hornby  was  just  about  to  begin  his  explana- 
tion for  whatever  it  was  he  had  done,  when 
Eddie  interrupted  him: 

'  *  Hold  on  a  minute,  Reg.  I  want  some  bread. 
I  declare  you  two  girls  are  getting  to  be  as  bad 
as  Reggie,  here.  Setting  a  table  without 
bread!  " 

"  I  was  keeping  it  for  a  surprise,"  said  Ger- 
tie, getting  up  slowly.  "  I  want  you  to  appre- 
ciate the  fact  that  Nora  helped  me  by  doing  the 
baking  this  morning."  Nora's  face  flushed 
with  pleasure  as  her  brother  patted  her  on  the 
shoulder  with  evident  approval.  She  looked  at 
Gertie  with  eyes  shining  with  gratitude.  At 
that  moment  she  came  nearer  liking  her  sister- 
in-law  than  she  ever  was  to  again. 

Gertie  went  slowly  across  the  room — she  usu- 
ally moved  with  nervous  quickness — and  pick- 
ing up  the  missing  bread  plate  from  where  it 
was  leaning  against  the  wall  behind  the  stove 
went  into  the  little  pantry  that  gave  off  the 
kitchen.  Slowly  she  returned  and  stood  beside 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          113 

her  husband's  chair.  On  the  plate,  burned  al- 
most to  a  cinder,  was  the  loaf  of  bread  that 
Nora  had  forgotten. 

"  Here  it  is,"  said  Gertie.  Her  smile  was 
cruel. 

"  Oh,  I  say,  Gertie,  that's  too  bad  of  you." 
It  was  Frank  who  spoke. 

11  Too  bad!  "  Nora  sprung  to  her  feet  with 
flashing  eyes.  "  Too  bad.  It's  mean  and  des- 
picable. There  are  no  words  to  do  it  justice. 
But  what  could  I  expect  from " 

"  Nora !  "  said  her  brother  sharply. 

Nora  rushed  from  the  table  to  her  room.  And 
although  Eddie  knocked  repeatedly  at  her  door 
and  begged  her  to  let  him  speak  with  her  if 
only  for  a  moment  that  evening  at  supper-time, 
she  made  no  sign  nor  did  anyone  see  her  again 
that  night. 

She  made  a  point  of  not  coming  down  to 
breakfast  the  next  morning  until  after  the  time 
when  the  men  would  be  gone.  She  thought  it 
best  to  meet  Gertie  alone.  It  was  time  that  they 
came  to  some  sort  of  understanding.  To  her 
surprise  and  annoyance  Taylor  was  still  at  the 
table.  Gertie  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

11  Come  down  to  keep  me  company?  That's 
real  nice  of  you,  I'm  sure." 

"  I  supposed,  naturally,  that  you  had  gone. 
You  usually  have  at  this  hour." 


114          THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

"  You  don't  know  how  it  flatters  a  fellow  to 
have  women  folks  study  his  habits  like  that,"  he 
said  with  a  grin. 

* '  I  knew  that  my  brother  had  left  the  house, 
since  I  saw  him  go.  I  took  it  for  granted  that 
all  his  employees  left  when  he  did.  Let  me 
assure  you,  once  and  for  all,  that  your  habits 
are  of  no  possible  interest  to  me." 

Taylor  put  on  his  hat  and  went  to  the  door. 
Just  as  he  was  about  to  open  it,  he  changed  his 
mind  and  came  back  to  the  table  where  Nora 
had  seated  herself  and  stood  leaning  on  the 
back  of  his  chair  looking  down  at  her. 

"  It's  all  right  for  us  to  row,"  he  said,  "  but 
if  I  were  you  I'd  go  a  little  easy  with  Gertie. 
She's  all  right  and  a  good  sort  at  bottom,  you 
can  take  it  from  me.  Yesterday,  I  admit  she 
was  downright  nasty.  I  guess  you  rile  her  up 
more  than  she's  used  to.  But  I  want  to  see 
you  two  get  on." 

"  It's  my  turn  to  feel  flattered,"  said  Nora 
sarcastically. 

11  Well,  so  long,"  he  said  with  undiminished 
good  humor  as  he  went  out. 

Gertie  appeared  almost  at  once  from  the 
pantry. 

"  I  heard  what  he  said.  I  couldn't  help  it. 
He  was  right — about  us  both.  We  don't  hit  it 
off.  But  I'm  willing  to  give  it  another  try." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE  115 

"  I  have  little  choice  but  to  agree  with  you," 
said  Nora  bitterly. 

"  Well,  that's  hardly  the  way  to  begin,"  re- 
torted Gertie  angrily. 

There  was  a  certain  air  of  restraint  about 
them  all  when  they  came  in  to  dinner.  Eddie 
looked  both  worried  and  anxious.  But  as  he 
saw  that  the  two  women  were  going  about  their 
duties  much  the  same  as  usual,  he  argued  that 
the  storm  had  blown  over  and  brightened 
visibly. 

The  men  had  pushed  back  their  chairs  and 
were  preparing  to  light  their  after-dinner  pipes. 

"  We'll  be  able  to  start  on  the  ironing  this 
afternoon,"  said  Gertie,  addressing  Nora  for 
the  first  time  since  breakfast. 

"  Very  well." 

"  I  say,"  said  Trotter,  who  rarely  ventured 
on  a  remark  while  at  the  table,  "  it  was  a  rare 
big  wash  you  done  this  morning  by  the  look 
of  it  on  the  line. ' ' 

"  When  she's  been  out  in  this  country  a  bit 
longer,  Nora '11  learn  not  to  wear  more  things 
than  she  can  help,"  said  Gertie. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  she  had  no  intention  of 
criticising  Nora  at  the  moment.  She  meant, 
merely,  that  she  would  be  more  economical  with 
experience.  But  Nora  was  in  the  mood  to  take 
fire  at  once. 


116         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Was  there  more  than  my  fair  share?  "  she 
asked  sharply. 

11  You  use  double  the  number  of  stockings 
than  what  I  do.  And  everything  else  is  the 
same." 

"  I  see.    Clean  but  incompetent." 

11  There's  many  a  true  word  spoken  in  jest," 
said  Gertie  with  angry  emphasis. 

11  Say,  Reg,"  Taylor  broke  in  hastily,  "  is 
it  true  that  when  you  first  came  out  you  asked 
Ed  where  the  bath-room  was?  " 

"  That's  right,"  laughed  Trotter.  "  Ed  told 
'im  there  was  a  river  a  mile  and  a  'alf  from 
'ere,  an'  that  was  the  only  bath-room  'e 
knowed." 

"  One  gets  used  to  that  sort  of  thing,  eh, 
Reg?  "  said  Marsh  good-naturedly. 

"  Ra-ther.  If  I  saw  a  proper  bath-room  now, 
it  would  only  make  me  feel  nervous." 

* '  I  knew  a  couple  of  Englishmen  out  in  Brit- 
ish Columbia,"  broke  in  Taylor,  "  who  were 
bathing,  and  the  only  other  people  around  were 
Indians.  The  first  two  years  they  were  there, 
they  wouldn't  have  anything  to  do  with  the  In- 
dians because  they  were  so  dirty.  After  that 
the  Indians  wouldn't  have  anything  to  do  with 
them." 

He  pointed  this  delectable  anecdote  by  hold- 
ing his  nose. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          117 

"  What  a  disgusting  story!  "  said  Nora. 

"  D'you  think  so?    I  rather  like  it." 

"  You  would." 

"  Now  don't  start  quarreling,  you  two.  And 
on  Frank's  last  day." 

Nora  gave  her  brother  a  quick  glance.  It  was 
on  the  tip  of  her  tongue  to  ask  what  he  meant 
by  Frank's  last  day,  but  seeing  that  Taylor  was 
watching  her  with  an  amused  smile,  she  held  her 
tongue.  Getting  up,  she  began  clearing  away 
the  table. 

Hornby,  ramming  the  tobacco  into  his  pipe, 
went  over  to  the  corner  by  the  stove,  where 
Gertie  was  scalding  out  her  large  dishpan,  and 
tried  to  interest  her  in  the  number  of  logs  he 
had  split  since  breakfast,  without  conspicuous 
success. 

Trotter  stood  looking  out  of  the  window, 
while  Marsh  stretched  himself  lazily  in  one  of 
the  rocking  chairs  with  a  sigh  of  content. 
Things  were  beginning  to  shake  down  a  little 
better.  There  had  been  a  time  yesterday  when 
he  feared  that  everything  was  off.  He  knew 
Nora's  temper  of  old  and  he  knew  his  wife's 
jealous  fear  of  her  criticism.  It  would  take 
some  rubbing  to  wear  off  the  sharp  corners. 
But  things  were  coming  out  all  right,  after  all. 
They'd  soon  be  working  together  like  a  well- 
broken  team.  Gertie  had  been  nasty  about  the 


118          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

bread.  But  apparently  everything  was  patched 
up.  And  with  Frank  once  gone,  and  the  new 
chap — a  man  of  the  Trotter  type,  who  would 
never  obtrude  himself — he  foresaw  that  every- 
thing would  run  on  wheels,  an  idea  dear  to  his 
peace-loving  soul. 

Not  that  he  was  not  sorry  to  lose  Frank.  In 
the  first  place,  he  liked  him,  and  then  he  was  a 
good,  steady,  hard-working  fellow,  one  of  the 
kind  you  didn't  have  to  stand  over.  But,  nat- 
urally, he  wanted  to  get  back  to  his  own  place, 
now  that  he  had  saved  up  a  bit.  Every  man 
liked  being  his  own  master. 

Taylor  alone  had  remained  at  his  place  at 
the  table.  Nora  had  cleared  away  everything 
except  the  dishes  at  his  place.  She  never  went 
near  him  if  she  could  avoid  it. 

"  I  guess  I'm  in  your  way,"  he  said,  ris- 
ing. 

"  Not  more  than  usual,  thank  you." 

Taylor  gave  a  little  laugh. 

"  I  guess  you'll  not  be  sorry  to  see  the  last 
of  me." 

Nora  paused  in  her  work,  and  leaning  on  the 
table  with  both  hands,  looked  him  steadily  in 
the  face. 

* '  I  can 't  honestly  say  that  it  makes  the  least 
difference  to  me  whether  you  go  or  stay,"  she 
said  coldly. 


THE  LAND  OF  PBOMISE          119 

"  When  does  your  train  go,  Frank?  "  asked 
Hornby  from  his  corner. 

"  Half-past  three;  I'll  be  starting  from  here 
in  about  an  hour. ' ' 

' '  Eeg  can  go  over  with  you  and  drive  the  rig 
back  again,"  said  Marsh. 

"  All  right.  I'll  go  and  dress  myself  in  a 
bit." 

"  I  guess  you'll  be  glad  to  get  back  to  your 
own  place,"  said  Gertie  warmly. 

She  had  always  liked  Frank  Taylor — a  man 
who  worked  hard  and  earned  his  money.  She 
did  not  begrudge  him  a  cent  of  it,  nor  the  pleas- 
ure he  had  in  the  thought  of  getting  back  to 
his  own  place.  He  was  the  kind  of  man  who 
should  set  up  for  himself. 

"  Well,  I  guess  I'll  not  be  sorry."  He  sat 
looking  out  of  the  window  with  a  sort  of  dreamy 
air,  as  if  seeing  far  to  the  westward  his  own 
land. 

So  that  was  the  reason  for  his  going.  He 
had  a  place  of  his  own.  He  was  only  a  hired 
man  for  the  moment.  Eddie  had  told  her  that 
a  man  frequently  had  to  hire  out  after  a  suc- 
cession of  bad  seasons.  What  of  it?  His  keep- 
ing it  to  himself  was  the  crowning  impertinence ! 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"  I'LL  do  the  washing,  Nora,  and  you  can 
dry,"  said  Gertie  in  that  peculiar  tone  which 
Nora  had  learned  to  recognize  as  the  preface  to 
something  disagreeable. 

1 1  All  right. " 

"  I've  noticed  the  things  aren't  half  clean 
when  I  leave  them  to  you  to  do." 

"I'm  sorry;  why  didn't  you  tell  me?  ' 

"  I  suppose  you  never  did  the  washing-up  in 
England.  Too  grand?  " 

But  Nora  was  not  to  be  ruffled  just  now.  Her 
resentment  against  Taylor,  who  was  sitting 
watching  her  as  if  he  read  her  thoughts — she 
often  wondered  how  much  of  them  he  did  read 
— made  anything  Gertie  said  seem  momentarily 
unimportant. 

"  I  don't  suppose  anyone  would  wash  up  if 
they  could  help  it.  It's  not  very  amusing." 

' '  You  always  want  to  be  amused !  ' ' 

"  No,  but  I  want  to  be  happy." 

11  Well,"  said  Gertie  sharply,  "  you've  got 
a  roof  over  your  head  and  a  comfortable  bed  to 
sleep  in,  three  good  meals  a  day  and  plenty  to 

120 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          121 

do.  That's  all  anybody  wants  to  make  them 
happy,  I  guess. " 

"  Oh,  Lord!  "  exclaimed  Reggie  from  his 
corner. 

* '  Well, ' '  said  Gertie,  turning  sharply  on  him, 
"  if  you  don't  like  Canada,  why  did  you  come 
out?  " 

"  You  don't  suppose,"  said  Hornby,  rising 
slowly  to  his  feet,  "I'd  have  let  them  send  me 
if  I'd  have  known  what  I  was  in  for,  do  you? 
Not  much.  Up  at  five  in  the  morning  and  work- 
ing about  the  place  like  a  navvy  till  your  back 
feels  as  if  it  'ud  break,  and  then  back  again  in 
the  afternoon.  And  the  same  thing  day  after 
day.  What  was  the  good  of  sending  me  to 
Harrow  and  Oxford  if  that's  what  I've  got  to 
do  all  my  life?  " 

There  was  a  tragic  dignity  in  his  tone  which 
for  the  moment  held  even  Gertie  silent.  It 
was  her  husband  who  answered  him,  and  Ger- 
tie's jealous  ear  detected  a  certain  wistfulness 
in  his  voice. 

11  You'll  get  used  to  it  soon  enough,  Reg.  It 
is  a  bit  hard  at  first,  I'll  admit.  But  when  you 
get  your  foot  in,  you  wouldn't  change  it  for 
any  other  life. ' ' 

"  This  isn't  a  country  for  a  man  to  go  to 
sleep  in  and  wait  for  something  to  turn  up,'* 
said  Gertie  aggressively. 


122          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  I  wouldn't  go  back  to  England  now,  not 
for  nothing,"  said  Trotter,  stung  to  an  unusual 
burst  of  eloquence.  "  England!  Eighteen  bob 
a  week,  that's  what  I  earned.  And  no  pros- 
pects. Out  of  work  five  months  in  the 
year." 

"  What  did  you  do  in  England?  "  asked  Nora 
curiously. 

"  Bricklayer,  Miss." 

"  You  needn't  call  her  Miss,"  said  Gertie 
heatedly.  "  You  call  me  Gertie,  don't  you? 
Well,  her  name's  Nora." 

"  What  with  strikes  and  bad  times,"  went  on 
Trotter  unheeding, '  *  you  never  knew  where  you 
was.  And  the  foreman  always  bullying  you. 
I  don't  know  what  all.  I  'ad  about  enough  of  it, 
I  can  tell  you.  I've  never  been  out  of  work  since 
the  day  I  landed.  I've  'ad  as  much  to  eat  as 
I  wanted  and  I'm  saving  money.  In  this  coun- 
try everybody's  as  good  as  everybody  else." 

"  If  not  better,"  said  Nora  dryly. 

"  In  two  years  I  shall  be  able  to  set  up  for 
myself.  Why,  there's  old  man  Thompson,  up 
at  Pratt.  He  started  as  a  bricklayer,  same  as 
I.  Come  from  Yorkshire,  he  did.  He's  got 
seven  thousand  dollars  in  the  bank  now." 

"  Believe  me,  you  fellows  who  come  out  now 
have  a  much  softer  thing  of  it  than  I  did  when 
I  first  came.  In  those  days  they  wouldn't  have 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          123 

an  Englishman,  they'd  have  a  Galician  rather. 
In  Winnipeg,  when  they  advertised  in  the  pa- 
per for  labor,  you'd  see  often  as  not:  *  No  Eng- 
lish need  apply.' 

"  Well,  it  was  their  own  fault,"  stormed  Ger- 
tie. *  *  They  wouldn  't  work  or  anything.  They 
just  soaked." 

"  It  was  their  own  fault,  right  enough.  This 
was  the  dumping  ground  for  all  the  idlers, 
drunkards  and  scallywags  in  England.  They 
had  the  delusion  over  there  that  i^  a  man  was 
too  big  a  rotter  to  do  anything  at  all  at  home, 
he  'd  only  got  to  be  sent  out  here  and  he  'd  make: 
a  fortune." 

"  I  guess  things  ain't  as  bad  as  that  now," 
spoke  up  Taylor.  "  They  send  us  a  different 
class.  It  takes  an  Englishman  two  years  longer 
than  anybody  else  to  get  the  hang  of  things, 
but  when  once  he  tumbles  to  it,  he's  better  than 
any  of  them." 

"  Ah,  well!  "  said  Marsh,  knocking  the  ashes 
out  of  his  pipe,  "  I  guess  nowadays  everyone's 
glad  to  see  the  Englishman  make  good.  When 
I  nearly  smashed  up  three  years  ago,  I  had  no 
end  of  offers  of  help." 

11  How  did  you  nearly  smash  up?  "  asked 
Hornby  interestedly. 

"  Oh,  I  had  a  run  of  bad  luck.  One  year  the 
crop  was  frosted  and  the  next  year  I  was  hailed 


124          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

out.  It  wants  a  good  deal  of  capital  to  stand 
up  against  that." 

"  That's  what  happened  to  me,"  said  Taylor. 
"  I  was  hailed  out  and  I  hadn't  got  any  capital, 
so  I  just  had  to  hire  out."  He  turned  suddenly 
to  Nora.  "  If  it  hadn't  been  for  that  hail  storm 
you  wouldn't  have  had  the  pleasure  of  makin* 
my  acquaintance." 

4 '  How  hollow  and  empty  life  would  have  been 
without  that!  "  she  said  ironically. 

"  I  wonder  you  didn't  just  quit  and  start  out 
Calgary  way,"  put  in  Gertie. 

"  Well,"  said  Taylor  slowly,  "  it  was  this 
way:  I'd  put  in  two  years  on  my  homestead 
and  done  a  lot  of  clearing.  It  seemed  kind  of 
silly  to  lose  my  rights  after  all  that.  Then, 
too,  when  you've  been  hailed  out  once,  the 
chances  are  it  won't  happen  again,  for  some 
years  that  is,  and  by  that  time  I  ought  to  have 
a  bit  put  by." 

"  What  sort  of  house  have  you  got?  "  asked 
Nora. 

"  Well,  it  ain't  what  you  might  call  a  palace, 
but  it's  large  enough  for  two." 

"  Thinking  of  marrying,  Frank?  '  asked 
Marsh. 

"  Well,  I  guess  it's  kind  of  lonesome  on  a 
farm  without  a  woman.  But  it's  not  so  easy 
to  find  a  wife  when  you're  just  starting  on  your 


THE  LAND  OP  PROMISE         125 

own.  Canadian  girls  think  twice  before  taking 
a  farmer." 

"  They  know  something,  I  guess,"  said  Gertie 
grimly. 

' '  You  took  me,  Gertie, ' '  laughed  her  husband. 

"  Not  because  I  wanted  to,  you  can  be  sure 
of  that.  I  don't  know  how  you  got  round  me." 

"  I  wonder." 

"  I  guess  it  was  because  you  was  kind  of 
helpless,  and  I  didn't  know  what  you'd  do  with- 
out me." 

"  I  guess  it  was  love,  and  you  couldn't  help 
yourself."  Gertie  stopped  her  work  long 
enough  to  make  a  little  grimacing  protest. 

"I'm  thinking  of  going  to  one  of  them  em- 
ployment agencies  when  I  get  to  Winnipeg," 
said  Taylor,  moving  his  chair  so  that  he  could 
watch  Nora's  face,  "  and  looking  the  girls 
over." 

"  Like  sheep,"  said  Nora  scornfully. 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  sheep.  I've 
never  had  to  do  with  sheep." 

'  *  And  may  I  ask,  do  you  think  that  you  know 
anything  about  women  ?  ' ' 

"  I  guess  I  can  tell  if  they're  strong  and 
willing.  And  so  long  as  they  ain't  cock-eyed, 
I  don't  mind  taking  the  rest  on  trust." 

"  And  what  inducement  is  there  for  a  girl  to 
have  you?  " 


126          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

"  That's  why  he  wants  to  catch  'em  young, 
when  they're  just  landed  and  don't  know 
much,"  laughed  Trotter  uproariously. 

"  I've  got  my  quarter-section,"  went  on 
the  imperturbable  Frank,  quite  undisturbed 
by  the  laughter  caused  by  Trotter's  sally, 
"  a  good  hundred  and  sixty  acres  with 
seventy  of  it  cleared.  And  I've  got  a  shack 
that  I  built  myself.  That's  something,  ain't 
it?  " 

"  You've  got  a  home  to  offer  and  enough  to 
eat  and  drink.  A  girl  can  get  that  anywhere. 
Why,  I'm  told  they're  simply  begging  for 
service. ' ' 

11  Y-e-e-s.  But  you  see  some  girls  like  get- 
ting married.  There's  something  in  the  word 
that  appeals  to  them. ' ' 

"  You  seem  to  think  that  a  girl  would  jump 
at  the  chance  of  marrying  you !  ' '  said  Nora  with 
rising  temper. 

"  She  might  do  worse." 

"  I  must  say  I  think  you  flatter  yourself." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  I  know  my  job,  and 
there  ain't  too  many  as  can  say  that.  I've  got 
brains." 

"  What  makes  you  think  so?  " 

11  Well,  I  can  see  you're  no  fool." 

Gertie  chuckled  with  amusement.  "  He  cer- 
tainly put  one  over  on  you  then,  Nora." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          127 

"  Because  you've  got  no  use  for  me,  there's 
no  saying  but  what  others  may  have. ' ' 

"  I  forgot  that  there's  no  accounting  for 
tastes." 

"  I  can  try,  can't  I?  " 

Wishing  to  escape  any  further  conversation 
with  the  object  of  her  detestation,  and  seeing 
her  opportunity  now  that  the  dishes  were 
washed,  Nora  started  to  empty  the  dishpan  in 
the  sink  in  the  pantry.  But  Gertie,  who  divined 
her  motive  and  wished  the  sport  to  continue, 
forestalled  her. 

"  I'll  do  it,"  she  said.  "  You  finish  wiping 
the  dishes." 

"  It's  very  wise  of  you  to  go  to  an  agency," 
said  Nora  in  answer  to  his  last  question.  "  A 
girl's  more  likely  to  marry  you  when  she's  only 
seen  you  once  than  when  she 's  seen  you  often. '  * 

'  *  It  seems  to  make  you  quite  mad,  the  thought 
of  me  marrying!  "  with  a  wink  at  the  others. 

"  You  wouldn't  talk  about  it  like  that  unless 
you  looked  down  upon  women.  Oh,  how  I  pity 
the  poor  wretched  creature  who  becomes  your 
wife!  " 

"  Oh,  I  guess  she  won't  have  such  a  bad  time 
— when  I  Ve  broken  her  in  to  my  ways. ' ' 

' '  And  are  you  under  the  impression  that  you 
can  do  that?  " 

11  Yep." 


128          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

11  You're  not  expecting  that  there'll  be  much 
love  lost  between  you  and  the  girl  whom  you — 
you  honor  with  your  choice ?  ' ' 

11  What's  love  got  to  do  with  it?  "  asked  Tay- 
lor in  affected  surprise.  "  It's  a  business  un- 
dertaking." 

"  What!  '  Nora's  eyes  were  dark  with  in- 
dignation and  anger. 

"  None  at  all.  I  give  her  board  and  lodging 
and  the  charm  of  my  society.  And  in  return, 
she's  got  to  cook  and  bake  and  wash  and  keep 
the  shack  clean  and  tidy.  And  if  she  can  do 
that,  I'll  not  be  particular  what  she  looks  like." 

"  So  long  as  she's  not  cock-eyed,"  Eeggie 
reminded  him. 

"  No,  I  draw  the  line  at  that." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Nora  with  bitter 
irony;  "  I  didn't  know  it  was  a  general  servant 
you  wanted.  You  spend  a  dollar  and  a  half  on 
a  marriage  license  and  then  you  don't  have  to 
pay  any  wages.  It's  a  good  investment." 

For  the  first  time  she  seemed  to  have  pierced 
the  enemy's  armor. 

"  You've  got  a  sharp  tongue  in  your  head  for 
a  girl,  Nora." 

"  Please  don't  call  me  Nora." 

"  Don't  be  so  silly,  Nora,"  said  her  brother 
with  a  trace  of  irritation.  "  It's  the  custom 
of  the  country.  Why,  they  all  call  me  Ed." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          129 

"  I  don't  care  what  the  custom  of  the  country 
is.  I'm  not  going  to  be  called  Nora  by  the  hired 
man!  " 

"  Don't  you  bother,  Ed,"  said  Frank,  appar- 
ently once  more  restored  to  his  normal  placid- 
ity; "  I'll  call  her  Miss  Marsh  if  she  likes  it 
better." 

But  Nora  was  not  to  be  pacified.  He  wouldn't 
have  dared  take  such  a  liberty  with  her  had  he 
not  been  on  the  eve  of  going  away  for  good, 
she  told  herself.  It  was  a  last  shot  from  a 
retreating  enemy.  Well  and  good.  He  should 
hear,  if  for  the  last  time,  what  she  thought  of 
him! 

*  *  I  should  like  to  see  you  married  to  someone 
who'd  give  you  what  you  deserved.  I'd  like  to 
see  your  pride  humbled.  You  think  yourself 
very  high  and  mighty,  don't  you?  I'd  like 
to  see  a  woman  take  you  by  the  heart-strings 
and  wring  them  till  you  screamed  with 
pain." 

"  Oh,  Nora,  how  violent  you  are!  "  said  Ed. 

"  You're  overbearing,  supercilious  and  ego- 
tistic, ' '  went  on  Nora  bitingly. 

"I'm  not  sure  as  I  know  what  them  long 
words  means,  but  I  guess  they  ain't  exactly 
complimentary. ' ' 

"  I  guess  they  ain't,"  she  mimicked. 

"I'm  sorry  for  that."    Taylor  straightened 


130         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

himself  a  little  in  his  chair.  His  blue  eyes 
seemed  to  have  caught  a  little  of  the  light  from 
Nora's. 

' '  I  was  thinking  of  offering  you  the  position 
before  I  went  to  the  employment  agency. ' ' 

* '  How  dare  you  speak  to  me  like  that !  ' ' 

"  Don't  fly  into  a  temper,  Nora,"  said  Ed. 
While  he  didn't  blame  Frank,  he  wished  he  had 
not  made  that  last  speech.  Why  didn't  he  go 
and  get  ready  for  town?  Here  was  Nora  all 
upset  again  just  as  things  had  calmed  down  a 
bit! 

"  He's  got  no  right  to  say  impudent  things 
to  me !  ' J 

"  Don't  you  see  he's  only  having  a  joke  with 
you?  "  he  said  soothingly. 

"  He  shouldn't  joke.  He's  got  no  sense  of 
humor." 

She  made  a  furious  gesture,  and  the  cup  she 
was  in  the  act  of  wiping  flew  out  of  her  hand, 
crashing  in  a  thousand  pieces  on  the  floor,  just 
as  Gertie  returned. 

' '  Butter  fingers !  ' ' 

"I'm  so  sorry,"  said  Nora  in  a  colorless 
tone.  She  was  raging  inwardly  at  having  al- 
lowed that  beast  of  a  man  to  put  her  in  such 
a  temper.  Why  couldn't  she  control  herself? 
How  undignified  to  bandy  words  with  a  person 
she  so  despised.  It  was  hardly  the  moment 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          131 

for  Gertie  to  take  her  to  task  for  carelessness. 
But  Gertie  was  not  the  person  to  consider  other 
moods  than  her  own. 

"  You  clumsy  thing!  You're  always  doing 
something  wrong." 

"  Oh,  don't  worry;  I'll  pay  for  it." 

* '  Who  wants  you  to  pay  for  it !  Do  you  think 
I  can't  afford  to  pay  for  a  miserable  cup?  You 
might  say  you're  sorry:  that's  all  I  want  you 
to  do." 

"  I  said  I  was  sorry." 

"  No,  you  didn't." 

"  I  heard  her,  Gertie,"  broke  in  Ed. 

' '  She  said  she  was  sorry  as  if  she  was  doing 
me  a  favor,"  said  Gertie,  turning  furiously  on 
the  would-be  peacemaker. 

"  You  don't  expect  me  to  go  down  on  my 
knees  to  you,  do  you!  The  cup's  worth  two- 
pence. ' ' 

"  It  isn't  the  value  I'm  thinking  about,  it's 
the  carelessness." 

"  It's  only  the  third  thing  I've  broken  since 
I've  been  here." 

If  Nora  had  been  in  a  calmer  mood  herself 
she  would  not  have  been  so  stupid  as  to  attempt 
to  palliate  her  offense.  Her  offer  of  replacing 
the  miserable  cup  only  added  fuel  to  the  flame  of 
Gertie's  resentment. 

"  You   can't   do   anything!  "    she    stormed. 


132          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

11  You're  more  helpless  than  a  child  of  six. 
You're  all  the  same,  all  of  you." 

"  You're  not  going  to  abuse  the  whole  Brit- 
ish nation  because  I've  broken  a  cup  worth  two- 
pence, are  you?  " 

"  And  the  airs  you  put  on.  Condescending 
isn't  the  word.  It's  enough  to  try  the  patience 
of  a  saint." 

11  Oh,  shut  up!  "  said  Marsh.  He  went  over 
to  his  wife  and  laid  a  hand  on  her  shoulder. 
She  shook  him  off  impatiently. 

"  You've  never  done  a  stroke  of  work  in  your 
life,  and  you  come  here  and  think  you  can  teach 
me  everything." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  Nora,  in  a 
voice  which  by  comparison  with  Gertie's  seemed 
low  but  which  was  nevertheless  perfectly  audi- 
ble to  every  person  in  the  room.  ' '  I  don't  know 
about  that,  but  I  think  I  can  teach  you  man- 
ners." 

If  she  had  lashed  the  other  woman  across  the 
face  with  a  whip,  she  couldn't  have  cut  more 
deeply.  She  knew  that,  and  was  glad.  Gertie's 
face  turned  gray. 

"  How  dare  you  say  that!  How  dare  you! 
You  come  here,  and  I  give  you  a  home.  You 
sleep  in  my  blankets  and  you  eat  my  food  and 
then  you  insult  me."  She  burst  into  a  passion 
of  angry  tears. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          133 

"  Now  then,  Gertie,  don't  cry.  Don't  be  so 
silly,"  said  her  husband  as  he  might  have 
spoken  to  an  angry  child. 

"  Oh,  leave  me  alone,"  she  flashed  back  at 
him.  "  Of  course  you  take  her  part.  You 
would!  It's  nothing  to  you  that  I  have  made 
a  slave  of  myself  for  you  for  three  whole  years. 
As  soon  as  she  comes  along  and  plays  the 
lady " 

She  rushed  from  the  room.  After  a  moment, 
Ed  followed  after  her. 

There  was  an  awkward  pause.  Nora  stood 
leaning  against  the  table  swinging  the  dish- 
cloth in  her  hand,  a  smile  of  malicious  triumph 
on  her  face.  Gertie  had  tried  it  on  once  too 
often.  But  she  had  shown  her  that  one  could 
go  too  far.  She  would  think  twice  before  she 
attempted  to  bully  her  again,  especially  before 
other  people.  She  stooped  down  and  began  to 
gather  up  the  broken  pieces  of  earthenware 
scattered  about  her  feet.  Her  movement  broke 
the  spell  which  had  held  the  three  men  para- 
lyzed as  men  always  are  in  the  presence  of  quar- 
reling women. 

' '  I  reckon  I  might  be  cleaning  myself, ' '  said 
Taylor,  rising  from  his  chair.  "  Time's  getting 
on.  You're  coming,  Ben?  " 

"  Yes,  I'm  coming.  I  suppose  you'll  take  the 
mare?  " 


134         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Yep,  that's  what  Ed  said  this  morning." 

They  went  out  toward  the  stables  without  a 
word  to  Nora. 

' '  Well,  are  you  enjoying  the  land  of  promise 
as  much  as  you  said  that  I  should?  "  Hornby 
asked  with  a  smile. 

"  We've  both  made  our  beds,  I  suppose  we 
must  lie  in  them,"  said  Nora,  shaking  the 
broken  pieces  out  of  her  apron  into  a  basket 
that  stood  in  the  corner. 

11  Do  you  remember  that  afternoon  at  Miss 
Wickham's  when  I  came  for  the  letter  to  your 
brother?  " 

"  I  hadn't  much  intention  of  coming  to  Can- 
ada then  myself. ' ' 

11  Well,  I  don't  mind  telling  you  that  I  mean 
to  get  back  to  England  the  very  first  oppor- 
tunity that  comes, ' '  he  said,  pacing  up  and  down 
the  floor.  "I'm  willing  to  give  away  my  share 
of  the  White  Man's  Burden  with  a  package  of 
chewing  gum." 

"  You  prefer  the  Effete  East?  "  smiled  Nora, 
putting  a  couple  of  irons  on  the  stove. 

"  Ea-ther.  Give  me  the  degrading  influence 
of  a  decadent  civilization  every  time." 

"  Your  father  will  be  pleased  to  see  you, 
won't  he?  " 

"  I  don't  think!  Of  course  I  was  a  damned 
fool  ever  to  leave  Winnipeg. ' ' 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          135 

"  I  understand  you  didn't  until  you  had 
to." 

"  Say,"  said  Hornby,  pausing  in  his  walk, 
'  *  I  want  to  tell  you :  your  brother  behaved  like 
a  perfect  brick.  I  sent  him  your  letter  and  told 
him  I  was  up  against  it — d'you  know  I  hadn't 
a  bob?  I  was  jolly  glad  to  earn  half  a  dollar 
digging  a  pit  in  a  man 's  garden.  Bit  thick,  you 
know!  " 

"  I  can  see  you,"  laughed  Nora. 

"  Your  brother  sent  me  the  fare  to  come  on 
here  and  told  me  I  could  do  the  chores.  I  didn  't 
know  what  they  were.  I  soon  found  it  was  doing 
all  the  jobs  it  wasn't  anybody  else's  job  to  do. 
And  they  call  it  God's  own  country!  " 

11  I  think  you're  falling  into  the  ways  of  the 
country  very  well,  however!  "  retorted  Nora  as 
she  struggled  across  to  the  table  with  the  heavy 
ironing-board. 

"  Do  you?    What  makes  you  think  that?  " 

"  You  can  stand  there  and  smoke  your  pipe 
and  watch  me  carry  the  ironing-board  about." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  Did  you  want  me  to 
help  you?  ' 

' '  Never  mind.   It  would  remind  me  of  home. ' ' 

"  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  stick  it  out  at 
least  a  year,  unless  I  can  humbug  the  mater 
into  sending  me  enough  money  to  get  back  home 
with." 


136          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  She  won't  send  yon  a  penny — if  she's 
wise." 

"  Oh,  come  now!  Wouldn't  you  chuck  it  if 
you  could?  " 

11  And  acknowledge  myself  beaten,"  said 
Nora,  with  a  flash  of  spirit.  "  You  don't 
know, ' '  she  went  on  after  ironing  busily  a  mo- 
ment, "  what  I  went  through  before  I  came 
here.  I  tried  to  get  another  position  as  lady's 
companion.  I  hung  about  the  agents'  offices. 
I  answered  advertisements.  Two  people  of- 
fered to  take  me;  one  without  any  salary,  the 
other  at  ten  shillings  a  week  and  my  lunch. 
I,  if  you  please,  was  to  find  myself  in  board, 
lodging  and  clothes  on  that  magnificent  sum! 
That  settled  me.  I  wrote  Eddie  and  said  I  was 
coming.  When  I'd  paid  my  fare,  I  had  eight 
pounds  in  the  world — after  ten  years  with 
Miss  Wickham.  When  he  met  me  at  the  sta- 
tion at  Dyer " 

"  Depot;  you  forget." 

"  My  whole  fortune  consisted  of  seven  dollars 
and  thirty-five  cents;  I  think  it  was  thirty-five." 

"  What  about  that  wood  you're  splitting, 
Keg?  "  said  a  voice  from  the  doorway. 

Eddie  came  in  fumbling  nervously  in  his 
pockets.  He  detested  scenes  and  had  some  rea- 
son to  think  that  he  was  having  more  than  his 
share  of  them  in  the  last  few  days. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          137 

"  Has  anyone  seen  my  tobacco?  Oh,  here 
it  is,"  he  said,  taking  his  pouch  from  his  pocket. 
"  Come,  Eeg,  you'd  better  be  getting  on  with 
it." 

"  Oh,  Lord,  is  there  no  rest  for  the  wicked?  ' 
exclaimed  Hornby  as  he  lounged  lazily  to  the 
door. 

"  Don't  hurry  yourself,  will  you?  " 

"  Brilliant  sarcasm  is  just  flying  about  this 
house  to-day,"  was  his  parting  shot  as  he 
banged  the  door  behind  him. 


CHAPTER  IX 

NORA  understood  perfectly  that  her  brother 
had  been  forced  to  take  a  stand  as  a  result  of 
this  last  quarrel  with  Gertie.  Well,  she  was 
glad  of  it.  Things  certainly  could  not  go  on  in 
this  way  forever.  Of  course  he  would  have  to 
make  a  show,  at  least,  of  taking  his  wife's  part. 
But,  equally  of  course,  he  would  understand  her 
position  perfectly.  However  much  his  new  life 
and  his  long  absence  from  England  might  have 
changed  him,  at  bottom  their  points  of  view 
were  still  the  same.  He  and  she,  so  to  speak, 
spoke  a  common  language;  she  and  Gertie  did 
not. 

Gertie  had  probably  been  pouring  out  her 
accumulation  of  grievances  to  him  for  the  last 
half  hour.  Now  it  was  her  turn.  She  would 
show  that  she  was,  as  always,  more  than  ready 
to  meet  Gertie  half-way.  It  would  be  his  affair 
to  see  that  her  advances  were  received  in  better 
part  in  future  than  they  had  been. 

She  went  on  busily  with  her  ironing,  waiting 
for  him  to  begin.  But  Eddie  seemed  to  experi- 
ence a  certain  embarrassment  in  coming  to  the 
subject.  While  she  took  article  after  article 

138 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          139 

from  the  clothes-basket  at  her  side,  he  wandered 
about  the  room  aimlessly,  puffing  at  a  pipe  which 
seemed  never  to  stay  lighted. 

"  That's  the  toughest  nut  I've  ever  been  set 
to  crack,"  he  said  at  length,  pointing  his  pipe- 
stem  after  the  vanished  Hornby.  "  Why  on 
earth  did  you  give  him  a  letter  to  me?  ' 

"  He  asked  me  to.  I  couldn't  very  well  say 
no." 

* '  I  can 't  make  out  what  people  are  up  to  in 
the  old  country.  They  think  that  if  a  man  is 
too  big  a  rotter  to  do  anything  at  all  in  Eng- 
land, they've  only  got  to  send  him  out  here  and 
he'll  make  a  fortune." 

"  He  may  improve." 

"  I  hope  so.  Look  here,  Nora,  you've  thor- 
oughly upset  Gertie." 

"  She's  very  easily  upset,  isn't  she?  " 

"  It's  only  since  you  came  that  things  haven't 
gone  right.  We  never  used  to  have  scenes." 

"  So  you  blame  me.  I  came  prepared  to  like 
her  and  help  her.  She  met  all  my  advances  with 
suspicion." 

'  *  She  thinks  you  look  down  on  her.  You  ought 
to  remember  that  she  never  had  your  oppor- 
tunities. She 's  earned  her  own  living  from  the 
time  she  was  thirteen.  You  can't  expect  in  her 
the  refinements  of  a  woman  who's  led  the  pro- 
tected life  you  have." 


140          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Now,  Eddie,  I  haven't  said  a  word  that 
could  be  turned  into  the  least  suggestion  of  dis- 
approval of  anything  she  did." 

'  *  My  dear,  your  whole  manner  has  expressed 
disapproval.  You  won't  do  things  in  the  way 
we  do  them.  After  all,  the  way  you  lived  in 
Tunbridge  Wells  isn't  the  only  way  people  can 
live.  Our  ways  suit  us,  and  when  you  live 
amongst  us  you  must  adopt  them." 

"  She's  never  given  me  a  chance  to  learn 
them,"  said  Nora  obstinately.  "  She  treated 
me  with  suspicion  and  enmity  the  very  first  day 
I  came  here.  When  she  sneered  at  me  because 
I  talked  of  a  station  instead  of  a  depot,  of 
course  I  went  on  talking  of  a  station.  What 
do  you  think  I'm  made  of?  Because  I 
prefer  to  drink  water  with  my  meals  instead 
of  your  strong  tea,  she  says  I'm  putting  on 
airs." 

Marsh  made  a  pleading  gesture. 

1  i  Why  can 't  you  humor  her  1  You  see,  you  Ve 
got  to  take  the  blame  for  all  the  English  people 
who  came  here  in  the  past  and  were  lazy,  worth- 
less and  supercilious.  They  called  us  Colonials 
and  turned  up  their  noses  at  us.  What  do  you 
expect  us  to  do? — say,  '  Thank  you  very  much, 
sir.'  l  We  know  we're  not  worthy  to  black 
your  boots.'  *  Don't  bother  to  work,  it'll  be 
a  pleasure  for  us  to  give  you  money'?  It's 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          141 

no  good  blinking  the  fact.  There  was  a 
great  prejudice  against  the  English.  But  it's 
giving  way  now,  and  every  sensible  man  and 
woman  who  comes  out  can  do  something  to  de- 
stroy it." 

"  All  I  can  say,"  said  Nora,  going  over  to 
the  stove  to  change  her  iron,  "  is  if  you're  tired 
of  having  me  here,  I  can  go  back  to  Winnipeg. 
I  shan  't  have  any  difficulty  in  finding  something 
to  do." 

11  Good  Lord,  I  don't  want  you  to  go.  I  like 
having  you  here.  It's — it's  company  for  Ger- 
tie. And  jobs  aren't  so  easy  to  find  as  you 
think,  especially  now  the  winter's  coming  on; 
everyone  wants  a  job  in  the  city." 

' '  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  f  " 

"  I  want  you  to  make  the  best  of  things  and 
meet  her  half-way.  You  must  make  allowances 
for  her  even  if  you  think  her  unreasonable. 
It's  Gertie  you've  got  to  spend  most  of  your 
time  with." 

He  was  so  manifestly  distressed  and,  as  he 
hadn't  been  so  hard  on  her  as  she  had  expected 
and  in  her  own  heart  felt  that  she  deserved, 
Nora  softened  at  once. 

11  I'll  have  a  try." 

"  That's  a  good  girl.  And  I  think  you  ought 
to  apologize  to  her  for  what  you  said  just 
now." 


142          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  II  "  said  Nora,  aflame  at  once.  "  I've  got 
nothing  to  apologize  for.  She  drove  me  to  dis- 
traction." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause  while  Eddie 
softly  damned  the  pipe  he  had  forgotten  to  fill, 
for  not  keeping  lighted. 

"  She  says  she  won't  speak  to  you  again  un- 
less you  beg  her  pardon." 

"  Really!  Does  she  look  upon  that  as  a  great 
hardship1?  " 

"  My  dear!  We're  twelve  miles  from  the 
nearest  store.  We're  thrown  upon  each  other 
for  the  entire  winter.  Last  year  there  was  a 
bad  blizzard,  and  we  didn't  see  a  soul  outside 
the  farm  for  six  weeks.  Unless  we  learn  to  put 
up  with  one  another's  whims,  life  becomes  a 
perfect  hell." 

Nora  stopped  her  work  and  set  down  her 
iron. 

"  You  can  go  on  talking  all  night,  Eddie,  I'll 
never  apologize.  Time  after  time  when  she 
sneered  at  me  till  my  blood  boiled,  I've  kept  my 
temper.  She  deserved  ten  times  more  than  I 
said.  Do  you  think  I'm  going  to  knuckle  under 
to  a  woman  like  that  I  ' 

"  Remember  she's  my  wife,  Nora." 

"  Why  didn't  you  marry  a  lady?  " 

"  What  the  dickens  do  you  think  is  the  use 
of  being  a  lady  out  here?  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          143 

"  You've  degenerated  since  you  left  Eng- 
land." 

"  Now  look  here,  my  dear,  I'll  just  tell  you 
what  Gertie  did  for  me.  She  was  a  waitress 
in  Winnipeg  at  the  Minnedosa  Hotel,  and  she 
was  making  money.  She  knew  what  the  life 
was  on  a  farm — much  harder  than  anything 
she'd  been  used  to  in  the  city — but  she  ac- 
cepted all  the  hardship  of  it  and  the  monotony 
of  it,  because — because  she  loved  me." 

"  She  thought  it  a  good  match.  You  were  a 
gentleman. ' ' 

* '  Fiddledidee !  She  had  the  chance  of  much 
better  men  than  me.  And  when " 

"  Such  men  as  Frank  Taylor,  no  doubt." 

"  And  when  I  lost  my  harvest  two  years  run- 
ning, do  you  know  what  she  did?  She  went 
back  to  the  hotel  in  Winnipeg  for  the  winter, 
so  as  to  carry  things  on  till  the  next  harvest. 
And  at  the  end  of  the  winter,  she  gave  me  every 
cent  she'd  earned  to  pay  the  interest  of  my 
mortgage  and  the  installments  on  the  machin- 
ery. ' ' 

Nora  had  been  more  moved  by  this  recital 
than  she  would  have  cared  to  confess.  She 
turned  away  her  head  to  hide  that  her  eyes 
had  filled  with  tears.  After  all,  a  woman  who 
could  show  such  devotion  as  that,  and  to  her 
brother Yes,  she  would  try  again. 


144          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISB 

"Very  well:  I'll  apologize.  But  leave  me 
alone  with  her.  I — I  don't  think  I  could  do  it 
even  before  you,  Eddie." 

"Fine!  That's  a  good  girl.  I'll  go  and  tell 
her." 

Nora  felt  repaid  in  advance  for  any  sacrifice 
to  her  pride  as  he  beamed  on  her,  all  the  look 
of  worriment  gone.  She  was  once  more  busy 
at  her  ironing-board,  bending  low  over  her  work 
to  hide  her  confusion,  when  he  returned  with 
Gertie.  A  glance  at  her  sister-in-law  told  her 
that  there  was  to  be  no  unbending  in  that  quar- 
ter until  she  had  made  proper  atonement. 
There  was  little  conciliatory  about  that  sullen 
face. 

However,  she  made  an  effort  to  speak  lightly 
until,  once  Eddie  had  taken  his  departure,  she 
could  make  her  apology. 

"  I  've  been  getting  on  famously  with  the  iron- 
ing." 

"  Have  you?  " 

"  This  is  one  of  the  few  things  I  can  do  all 
right." 

"  Any  child  can  iron." 

11  Well,  I'll  be  going  down  to  the  shed,"  said 
her  brother  uneasily. 

' '  What  for  ?  ' '  said  Gertie  quickly. 

"  I  want  to  see  about  mending  that  door.  It 
hasn't  been  closing  right." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          145 

11  I  thought  Nora  had  something  to  say  to 
me." 

"  So  she  has:  that's  what  I'm  going  to  leave 
you  alone  for." 

11  I  like  that.  She  insults  me  before  every- 
body and  then,  when  she's  going  to  apologize, 
it's  got  to  be  private.  No,  thank  you." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Gertie?  "  asked  Nora. 

"  You  sent  Ed  in  to  tell  me  you.  was  goin' 
to  apologize  for  what  you'd  said,  didn't  you?  ' 

"And  I'm  ready  to:  for  peace  and  quiet- 
ness." 

"  Well,  what  you  said  was  before  the  men, 
and  it's  before  the  men  you  must  say  you're 
sorry." 

"  How  can  you  ask  me  to  do  such  a  thing!  r 
cried  Nora  indignantly. 

"  Don't  be  rough  on  her,  Gertie,"  pleaded 
her  husband.  "  No  one  likes  apologizing." 

"  People  who  don't  like  apologizing  should 
keep  a  better  lookout  on  their  tongue." 

"  It  can't  do  you  any  good  to  make  her  eat 
humble  pie  before  the  men. ' ' 

"  Perhaps  it  won't  do  me  any  good,  but  it'll 
do  tier  good!  " 

"  Gertie,  don't  be  cruel.  I'm  sorry  if  I  lost 
my  temper  just  now,  and  said  anything  that 
hurt  you.  But  please  don't  make  me  humiliate 
myself  before  the  others." 


146          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  I  Ve  made  up  my  mind, ' '  said  Gertie,  fold- 
ing her  arms  across  her  breast,  "so  it's  no 
good  talking." 

"  Don't  you  see  that  it's  bad  enough  to  have 
to  beg  your  pardon  before  Eddie  1  ' 

* '  Good  Lord !  ' '  said  Gertie  irritably,  * '  why 
can't  you  call  him  Ed  like  the  rest  of  us.  '  Ed- 
die '  sounds  so  sappy." 

"  I've  called  him  Eddie  all  my  life:  it's  what 
our  mother  called  him, ' '  said  Nora  sadly. 

"  Oh,  it's  all  of  a  piece.  You  do  everything 
you  can  to  make  yourself  different  from  all  of 
us." 

She  stalked  over  to  the  window  and  stood 
with  folded  arms  looking  out  toward  the  wood- 
pile on  which  Reggie  was  seated — it  is  to  be 
presumed  having  a  moment's  respite  after  his 
arduous  labors. 

"  No,  I  don't,"  pleaded  Nora.  "  At  least  I 
don't  mean  to.  Why  won't  you  give  me  any 
credit  for  trying  to  do  my  best  to  please  you!  ' 

"  That's  neither  here  nor  there."  She  sud- 
denly wheeled  about,  facing  them  both.  "  Go 
and  fetch  the  men,  Ed,  and  then  I'll  hear  what 
she's  got  to  say." 

"  No,  I  won't,  I  won't,  I  won't!  "  cried  Nora 
furiously.  ' '  You  drive  me  too  far. ' ' 

"  You  won't  beg  my  pardon?  "  demanded 
Gertie  threateningly.  If  she  wished  to  drive 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          147 

Nora  beside  herself,  she  accomplished  her  pur- 
pose. 

1  i  I  said  I  could  teach  you  manners, ' '  she  gave 
a  hysterical  laugh,  "  I  made  a  mistake.  I 
couldn't  teach  you  manners,  for  one  can't  make 
a  silk  purse  out  of  a  sow's  ear." 

"  Shut  up,  Nora,"  said  her  brother  sharply. 

' '  Now  you  must  make  her,  Ed, ' '  said  Gertie 
grimly. 

He  replied  with  a  despairing  gesture. 

"I'm  sick  to  death  of  the  pair  of  you!  " 

"I'm  your  wife,  and  I'm  going  to  be  mis- 
tress of  this  house — my  house. ' ' 

"  It's  horrible  to  make  her  eat  humble  pie 
before  three  strange  men.  You've  no  right  to 
ask  her  to  do  a  thing  like  that." 

"  Are  you  taking  her  parti  "  demanded  Ger- 
tie, her  voice  rising  in  fury.  "  What's  come 
over  you  since  she  came  here.  You're  not  the 
same  to  me  as  you  used  to  be.  "Why  did  she 
come  here  and  get  between  us  ?  ' 

*  *  I  haven 't  changed. ' ' 

"  Haven't  I  been  a  good  wife  to  you?  Have 
you  ever  had  any  complaint  to  make  of  me?  ' 

"  You  know  perfectly  well  I  haven't." 

"  As  soon  as  your  precious  sister  comes 
along,  you  let  me  be  insulted.  You  don't  say 
a  word  to  defend  me!  ' 

"  Darling,"    said    her   husband   with   grim 


148          THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

humor,  "  you've  said  a  good  many  to  defend 
yourself. ' ' 

But  Gertie  was  not  to  be  reached  by  humor, 
grim  or  otherwise. 

"I'm  sick  and  tired  of  being  put  upon.  You 
must  choose  between  us,"  she  said,  with  an  air 
of  finality. 

1 l  What  on  earth  do  you  mean  ?  ' ' 

"  If  you  don't  make  her  apologize  right  now 
before  the  hired  men,  I  'm  quit  of  you. ' ' 

"  I  can't  make  her  apologize  if  she  won't." 

"  Then  let  her  quit." 

"Oh,  I  wish  I  could!  I  wish  to  God  I 
could !  ' '  said  Nora  wildly. 

"  You  know  she  can't  do  that,"  said  Marsh 
roughly.  "  There's  nowhere  she  can  go.  I've 
offered  her  a  home.  You  were  quite  willing, 
when  I  suggested  having  her  here." 

"  I  was  willing  because  I  thought  she'd  make 
herself  useful.  We  can't  afford  to  feed  folks 
who  don't  earn  their  keep.  We  have  to  work 
for  our  money,  we  do. ' ' 

"  I  didn't  know  you  grudged  me  the  little  I 
eat, ' '  said  Nora  bitterly.  ' '  I  wonder  if  I  should 
begrudge  it  to  you,  if  I  were  in  your  place. ' ' 

"  Look  here,  it's  no  good  talking.  I'm  not 
going  to  turn  her  out.  As  long  as  she  wants  a 
home,  the  farm's  open  to  her.  And  she's  wel- 
come to  everything  I've  got." 


THE  LAND  OF  PBOMISE          149 

"  Then  you  choose  her?  "  demanded  Gertie. 

"  Choose  her?  I  don't  know  what  you're 
talking  about!  '  Easy-going  as  he  was,  he  was 
beginning  to  show  signs  of  irritation. 

"  I  said  you'd  got  to  choose  between  us. 
Very  well,  let  her  stay.  I  earned  my  own  living 
before,  and  I  can  earn  it  again.  I'm  going." 

"  Don't  talk  such  nonsense,"  said  Marsh  vio- 
lently. 

"  You  think  I  don't  mean  it?  D'you  think 
I'm  going  to  stay  here  and  be  put  upon?  Why 
should  I?  " 

"  Don't  you — love  me  any  more?  " 

"  Haven't  I  shown  that  I  love  you?  Have 
you  forgotten,  Ed?  " 

' '  We  've  gone  through  so  much  together,  dar- 
ling, ' '  he  said  huskily. 

* '  Yes,  we  have  that, ' '  she  said  in  a  softened 
tone. 

"  Won't  you  forgive  her,  for — for  my  sake?  r 

Gertie's  face  hardened  once  more. 

"  No,  I  can't.  You're  a  man,  you  don't  un- 
derstand. If  she  won't  apologize,  either  she 
must  go  or  I  shall." 

"  I  can't  lose  you,  Gertie.  What  should  I  do 
without  you?  ' 

"  I  guess  you  know  me  well  enough  by  now. 
When  I  say  a  thing,  I  do  it. '  ' 

"  Eddie!  " 


150          THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

Nora  had  buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  He 
looked  at  her  a  moment  without  speaking. 

"  She's  my  wife.  After  all,  if  it  weren't  for 
her  I  should  be  hiring  out  now  at  forty  dollars 
a  month." 

Nora  lifted  her  face.  For  a  long  moment, 
brother  and  sister  exchange  a  sad  regard. 

"  Very  well,"  she  said  huskily,  "  I'll  do  what 
you  want. ' ' 

He  made  one  last  appeal : 

1  i  You  do  insist  on  it,  Gertie  !  ' ' 

"  Of  course  I  do." 

"  I'll  go  and  call  the  men."  He  looked  va- 
cantly about  the  room,  searching  for  his  hat. 

"  Frank  Taylor  needn't  come,  need  he?  ' 
asked  Nora  timidly. 

"Why  not?  " 

"  He's  going  away  almost  immediately.  It 
can 't  matter  about  him,  surely. ' ' 

"  Then  why  are  you  so  particular  about  it?  " 

"  The  others  are  English—  She  knew 

she  had  made  an  unfortunate  speech  the  mo- 
ment the  words  had  left  her  lips  and  hastened 
to  modify  it.  "  He'll  like  to  see  me  humiliated. 
He  looks  upon  women  as  dirt.  He's—  Oh, 
I  don 't  know,  but  not  before  him !  ' 

"  It'll  do  you  a  world  of  good  to  be  taken 
down  a  peg  or  two,  my  lady. ' ' 

"  Oh,  how  heartless,  how  cruel!  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          151 

"  Go  on,  Ed.  I  want  to  get  on  with  my 
work. ' ' 

"  Why  do  you  humiliate  me  like  this!  "  asked 
Nora  after  the  door  had  closed  on  her  brother. 
Gertie  had  seated  herself,  very  erect  and  ju- 
dicial, in  one  of  the  rocking  chairs. 

' '  You  came  here  and  thought  you  knew  every- 
thing, I  guess.  But  you  didn't  know  who  you'd 
got  to  deal  with. ' ' 

"  I  was  a  stranger  and  homeless.  If  you'd 
had  any  kindness,  you  wouldn't  have  treated 
me  so.  I  wanted  to  be  fond  of  you. ' ' 

"  You,"  scoffed  Gertie.  "  You  despised  me 
before  you  ever  saw  me." 

Nora  made  a  despairing  gesture.  Even  now 
the  men  might  be  on  the  way,  but  she  had  a 
more  unselfish  motive  for  wishing  to  placate 
Gertie.  Anything  rather  than  bring  that  look 
of  pain  she  had  seen  for  the  first  time  that  day 
into  her  brother's  eyes.  She  staked  everything 
on  one  last  appeal. 

"  Oh,  Gertie,  can't  we  be  friends?  Can't  we 
let  bygones  be  bygones  and  start  afresh?  We 
both  love  Eddie — Ed  I  mean.  He's  your  hus- 
band and  he's  the  only  relation  I  have  in  the 
world.  Won't  you  let  me  be  a  real  sister  to 
you  I  " 

"  It's  rather  late  to  say  all  that  now." 

"  But  it's  not  too  late,  is  it?  "  Nora  went  on 


152          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

eagerly.  "  I  don't  know  what  I  do  that  irri- 
tates yon  so.  I  can  see  how  competent  you  are, 
and  I  admire  you  so  much.  I  know  how  splen- 
did you've  been  with  Eddie.  How  you've  stuck 
to  him  through  thick  and  thin.  You've  done 
everything  for  him." 

Gertie  struck  her  hands  violently  together 
and  sprang  from  her  chair. 

"  Oh,  don't  go  on  patronizing  me.  I  shall 
go  crazy !  ' ' 

"  Patronizing  you?  " 

"  You  talk  to  me  as  if  I  were  a  naughty 
child.  You  might  be  a  school  teacher."  Nora 
wrung  her  hands.  "  It  seems  perfectly  hope- 
less! " 

"  Even  when  you're  begging  my  pardon," 
Gertie  went  on,  "  you  put  on  airs.  You  ask 
me  to  forgive  you  as  if  you  was  doing  me  a 
favor!  " 

"  I  must  have  a  most  unfortunate  manner." 
Nora  laughed  hysterically. 

"  Don't  you  dare  laugh  at  me,"  said  Gertie 
furiously. 

11  Don't  make  yourself  ridiculous,  then." 

"  Did  you  think  I  would  ever  forget  what  you 
wrote  to  Ed  before  I  married  him?  ' 

"  What  I  wrote?  I  don't  know  what  you 
mean." 

"  Oh,  don't  you?    You  told  him  it  would  be 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          153 

a  disgrace  if  lie  married  me.  He  was  a  gen- 
tleman and  I—  Oh,  you  spread  yourself 
out!  " 

"  And  lie  showed  you  that  letter,"  said  Nora 
slowly.  "  Now  I  understand,"  she  added  to 
herself.  "  Still,"  she  went  on,  looking  Gertie 
directly  in  the  face,  "  I  had  a  perfect  right  to 
try  and  prevent  the  marriage  before  it  took 
place.  But  after  it  happened,  I  only  wanted  to 
make  the  best  of  it.  If  you  had  this  grudge 
against  me,  why  did  you  let  me  come  here?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  Gertie  moodily,  "  Ed  wanted  it, 
and  it  was  lonely  enough  sometimes  with  the 
men  away  all  day  and  no  one  to  say  a  word 
to.  But  I  can't  bear  it,"  she  almost  screamed, 
"  when  Ed  talks  to  you  about  the  old  country 
and  all  the  people  I  don't  know  anything 
about!  " 

"  Then  you  are  jealous?  " 

"  It's  my  house  and  I'm  mistress  here.  I 
won 't  be  put  upon.  What  did  you  want  to  come 
here  for,  upsetting  everybody?  Till  you  came, 
I  never  had  a  word  with  Ed.  Oh,  I  hate  you, 
I  hate  you!  "  she  finished  in  a  sort  of  ecstasy. 

"  Gertie!  " 

"  You've  given  me  my  chance,"  said  Gertie 
with  set  teeth;  "I'm  going  to  take  it.  I'm 
going  to  take  you  down  a  peg  or  two,  young 
woman." 


154          THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

"  You're  doing  all  you  can  to  drive  me  away 
from  here. ' ' 

"  You  don't  think  it's  any  very  wonderful 
thing  to  have  you,  do  you?  You  talk  of  getting 
a  job,"  she  went  on  scornfully.  "  You!  You 
couldn't  get  one.  I  know  something  about  that, 
my  girl.  You !  What  can  you  do  I  Nothing. ' ' 

Suddenly,  from  outside,  they  heard  Frank 
Taylor's  laugh.  Nora  winced  as  if  she  had 
been  struck.  Gertie's  face  was  distorted  with 
an  evil  smile.  She  seated  herself  once  more 
in  the  rocking  chair  and  folded  her  arms  across 
her  heaving  breast. 

"  Here  they  come:  now  take  your  punish- 
ment, ' '  she  said  harshly. 


CHAPTER  X 

NORA  could  never  after  think  of  what  followed 
with  any  feeling  of  reality  so  far  as  her  per- 
sonal participation  in  the  scene  was  concerned. 
It  was  like  watching  a  play  in  which  one  is  inter- 
ested, without  being  in  any  degree  emotionally 
stirred. 

She  saw  Gertie,  erect  and  stern  in  her  big 
chair ;  she  saw  herself,  standing  behind  the  iron- 
ing-board, as  if  at  a  Bar  of  Justice,  her  hands 
resting  loosely  upon  it;  and  she  saw  the  door 
open  to  admit  her  brother,  followed  by  Taylor 
and  Trotter;  noted  that  the  former  had  dis- 
carded the  familiar  overalls  and  was  wearing 
a  sort  of  pea-jacket  with  a  fur  collar,  and  that 
her  brother's  face  was  once  more  sad  and  a  little 
stern. 

She  had  been  obliged  to  press  her  handker- 
chief to  her  mouth  to  hide  the  crooked  smile 
that  the  thought :  '  lie  is  the  executioner, '  had 
brought  to  her  lips. 

Then  the  figures  which  were  Gertie  and  her 
brother  had  exchanged  some  words. 

"Where's  Hornby?  " 

"  He's  just  coming.'* 

155 


156          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Do  they  know  what  they're  here  for?  ' 

"No,  I  didn't  tell  them." 

Then  the  figure  which  was  Reggie  had  come 
in  with  some  laughing  remark  about  being  torn 
away  from  his  work,  but,  stopping  so  suddenly 
in  the  midst  of  his  laughter  at  the  sight  of 
Gertie's  face  that  it  was  comical;  once  more 
she  had  had  to  press  her  handkerchief  to  her 
lips. 

And  all  the  time  she  knew  that  this  Nora 
whom  she  seemed  to  be  watching  had  flushed  a 
cruel  red  clear  to  her  temples  and  that  a  funny 
little  pulse  was  beating, — oh,  so  fast,  so  fast ! — 
way  up  by  her  cheek-bone.  It  couldn't  have 
been  her  heart.  Her  heart  had  never  gone  as 
fast  as  that. 

Then  she  had  heard  Gertie  say:  "  Nora  in- 
sulted me  a  while  ago  before  all  of  you  and 
I  guess  she  wants  to  apologize." 

And  then  Frank  had  said : '  *  If  you  told  me  it 
was  that,  Ed,  you  wanted  me  to  come  here  for, 
I  reckon  I'd  have  told  you  to  go  to  hell." 

"  Why?  " 

It  must  have  been  she  who  had  asked  the 
question,  although  she  was  not  conscious  that 
her  lips  had  moved  and  the  voice  did  not 
seem  like  her  own.  Her  own  voice  was  rather 
deep.  This  voice  was  curiously  thin  and 
high. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          157 

"  I've  got  other  things  to  do  besides  bother- 
ing my  head  about  women's  quarrels." 

"  Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon,"  still  in  the  same 
high  tone.  *  *  I  thought  it  might  be  some  kindly 
feeling  in  you. ' ' 

"  Go  on,  Nora,  we're  waiting,"  came  the  voice 
from  the  big  chair. 

Sour-dough!  That's  what  those  coats,  such 
as  Frank  had  on,  were  called.  She  had  been 
wondering  all  the  time  what  the  name  was.  It 
was  only  the  other  day  that  Gertie  had  used 
the  word  in  saying  that  she  wished  Eddie — no, 
Ed — could  afford  a  new  one.  What  a  ridicu- 
lous name  for  a  garment. 

"I'm  sorry  I  was  rude  to  you,  Gertie.  I 
apologize  to  you  for  what  I  said." 

11  If  there's  nothing  more  to  be  said,  we'd 
better  go  back  to  our  work." 

While  her  brother  was  speaking  to  his  wife, 
Frank  had  taken  a  step  forward.  Somehow,  the 
smile  on  his  face  had  lost  all  of  its  ordinary 
mockery. 

"  You  didn't  find  that  very  easy  to  say,  I 
reckon. ' ' 

"I'm  quite  satisfied."  And  then  Gertie  had 
dared  to  add:  "  Let  this  be  a  lesson  to  you,  my 
girl!  " 

That  was  the  last  straw.  The  men  had 
turned  to  go.  In  a  flash  she  had  made  up  her 


158          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

mind.  Her  brother's  house  was  no  longer  pos- 
sible. Gertie  had,  in  a  moment  of  passion,  con- 
fessed that  she  hated  her ;  had  always  hated  her 
in  her  secret  heart  ever  since  she  had  read  that 
protesting  letter.  What  daily  humiliations 
would  she  not  have  to  endure  now  that  she  had 
matched  her  strength  against  Gertie  and  lost! 
It  meant  one  long  crucifixion  of  all  pride  and 
self-respect.  No,  it  was  not  to  be  borne ! 

There  was  one  avenue  of  escape  open,  and 
only  one.  He  had  said  that  he  was  willing  to 
offer  a  home  to  a  woman  who  was  willing  to 
assume  her  share  of  the  burden  of  making  one. 
It  was  even  possible  that  he  would  be  both  kind 
and  considerate,  no  matter  how  many  mistakes 
she  made  at  first,  to  a  woman  who  tried  to  learn. 
Of  one  thing  she  was  certain,  he  would  know 
how  to  see  that  his  wife  was  treated  with  re- 
spect by  all  the  world.  For  the  moment,  her 
bleeding  pride  cried  to  her  that  that  was  the 
only  thing  in  life  that  was  absolutely  necessary. 
Nothing  else  mattered. 

"  Frank,  will  you  wait  a  minute?  ' 
' '  Sure.    What  can  I  do  for  you  f  ' 
"  I've  understood  that  I'm  not  wanted  here. 
I'm  in  the  way.    You  said  just  now  you  wanted 
a  woman  to  cook  and  bake  for  you,  wash  and 
mend  your  clothes,  and  keep  your  shack  clean 
and  tidy.    Will  I  do?  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          159 

"  Sure." 

"  Nora !  "  Her  brother  was  shaking  her  by; 
the  shoulder. 

' '  I 'm  afraid  you  '11  have  to  marry  me. " 

"  I  guess  it  would  be  more  respectable." 

11  Nora,  you  can't  mean  it:  you're  in  a  tem- 
per !  See  here,  Frank,  you  mustn't  pay  any  air. 
tention  to  her." 

' '  Shameless,  that 's  what  I  call  it. ' '  That  was 
Gertie. 

"  He  wants  a  woman  to  look  after  him.  He 
practically  proposed  to  me  half  an  hour  ago — 
didn't  you!  " 

11  Practically." 

' '  Nora !  You  Ve  been  like  cat  and  dog  with 
Frank  ever  since  you  came.  My  dear,  you  don't 
know  what  you're  in  for." 

1 '  If  he 's  willing  to  risk  it,  I  am. ' ' 

"  It  ain't  an  easy  life  you're  coming  to.  This 
farm  is  a  palace  compared  with  my  shack." 

"I'm  not  wanted  here  and  you  say  you  want 
me.  If  you'll  take  me,  I'll  come." 

For  what  seemed  an  interminable  moment,  he 
had  looked  at  her  with  more  gravity  than  she 
had  ever  seen  in  his  face. 

"  I'll  take  you,  all  right.  When  will  you  be 
ready!  Will  an  hour  do  for  you?  " 

"  An  hour!  You're  in  a  great  hurry."  She 
had  had  a  funny  sensation  that  her  knees  were 


160          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

.giving  way.  She  had  never  fainted  in  her  life. 
Was  she  going  to  faint  now  before  them  all? 
Before  Gertie  1  Never !  Somehow  she  must  get 
out  of  the  room  and  be  alone  a  minute. 

"  Why,  yes.  Then  we  can  catch  the  three- 
thirty  into  Winnipeg.  You  can  go  to  the  Y.  W. 
C.  A.  for  the  night  and  we'll  be  buckled  up  in 
the  morning.  You  meant  it,  didn't  you?  You 
weren't  just  saying  it  as  a  bluff?  " 

* '  I  shall  be  ready  in  an  hour. ' ' 

She  had  pushed  Eddie  gently  aside  and,  with' 
out  a  glance  at  anyone  had  walked  steadily 
from  the  room. 

Once  seated  on  the  side  of  the  bed  in  the 
room  that  had  been  hers,  she  had  been  seized 
with  a  chill  so  violent  that  her  teeth  had  chat- 
tered in  her  head.  To  prevent  anyone  who 
might  follow  her  from  hearing  them, — and  it 
was  probable  that  her  brother  might  come  for 
a  final  remonstrance;  it  was  even  conceivable 
that  Gertie,  herself,  might  be  sorry  for  what 
she  had  done;  but  no,  it  was  she  who  had  said 
she  was  shameless ! — she  got  up  and  locked  her 
door  and  then  threw  herself  full  length  on  the 
little  bed  and  crammed  the  corner  of  the  pillow 
into  her  mouth. 

Perhaps  she  was  going  to  die.  She  had  never 
really  been  ill  in  her  life  and  the  violence  of 
the  chill  frightened  her.  In  her  present  over- 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          161 

wrought  state,  the  thought  of  death  was  not 
disquieting.  But  supposing  she  was  only  going 
to  be  very  ill,  with  some  long  and  tedious  illness 
that  would  make  her  a  care  and  a  burden  for 
weeks?  She  recalled  the  unremitting  care 
which  she  had  had  to  give  Miss  Wickham,  and 
pictured  Gertie  Js  grudging  ministrations  at  her 
sick-bed.  Anything  rather  than  that!  She 
must  manage  to  get  to  Winnipeg.  Once  away 
from  the  house,  nothing  mattered. 

But  after  a  few  moments  the  violence  of  the 
chill,  which  was  of  course  purely  nervous  in  its 
origin,  subsided  perceptibly.  Nora  rose  and 
began  to  busy  herself  with  her  packing.  For- 
tunately her  wardrobe  was  small.  She  had 
no  idea  how  long  she  had  been  lying  on  the 
bed. 

She  had  just  folded  the  last  garment  and  was 
about  to  close  the  lid  of  her  trunk,  when  there 
came  a  knock  at  the  door. 

"Who  is  it?  " 

"  It's  me,"  said  Frank's  voice.  "  The  team 
is  at  the  door.  Are  you  ready?  " 

For  reply,  Nora  threw  open  the  door  and 
pointed  to  her  box. 

' '  I  have  only  to  put  on  my  hat.  Will  you  bei 
good  enough  to  fasten  that  for  me?  Here  is 
the  key. ' ' 

While  he  knelt  on  the  floor,  locking  and  strap- 


162          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

ping  it,  she  gave  a  careful  look  at  herself  in 
the  mirror,  while  putting  on  her  hat.  She  con- 
gratulated herself  that  she  had  not  been  crying. 
Aside  from  the  fact  that,  she  looked  pale  and 
tired,  there  was  nothing  in  her  face  to  suggest 
that  she  had  had  a  crisis  of  the  nerves:  cer- 
tainly no  look  of  defeat  for  Gertie  to  gloat  over. 
Would  they  all  be  there  to  witness  her  retreat? 
Well,  let  them:  no  one  could  say  that  she  had 
not  gone  out  with  flying  colors.  She  turned, 
with  a  smile  to  meet  Frank 's  gaze. 

"  That's  right,"  he  said  approvingly.  "  You 
look  fine.  Say,"  he  added,  "I'm  afraid  I'll 
have  to  have  Reggie  up  to  give  me  a  lift  with 
this  trunk  of  yours.  I  don't  know  what  you  can 
have  in  it  unless  it's  a  stove,  and  we've  got 
one  at  home  already.  It'll  be  all  right  once  I 
get  it  on  my  back." 

He  had  taken  just  the  right  tone.  His  easy 
reference  to  *  home  '  and  to  their  common  pos- 
session of  even  so  humble  a  piece  of  furniture 
as  a  stove,  as  if  they  were  an  old  married  couple 
returning  home  after  paying  a  visit,  had  a  re- 
storative effect  on  nerves  still  a  little  jangly. 
That  was  the  only  way  to  look  at  it :  In  a  thor- 
oughly commonplace  manner.  As  he  had  said 
himself,  it  was  a  business  undertaking.  She 
gave  a  perfectly  natural  little  laugh. 

"  No,  I  haven't  a  stove;  only  a  few  books.    I 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          163 

didn't  realize  how  heavy  they  were.  I'm 
sorry." 

* '  I  'm  not, ' '  he  said  heartily.  * '  You  can  read 
to  me  evenings.  I  guess  a  little  more  book- 
learning '11  polish  me  up  a  bit  and  I'll  be  right 
glad  of  the  chance.  You're  not  afraid  to  stand 
at  the  horses '  heads,  are  you,  while  Keg  runs  up 
here?  " 

"  No,  of  course  not." 

She  could  hear  Gertie  in  the  pantry  as  she 
crossed  the  living-room.  She  was  grateful  to 
her  for  not  coming  out  to  make  any  show  of 
leave-taking.  Having  sent  Reggie  on  his  er- 
rand, she  stood  stroking  the  horses'  soft  noses 
while  waiting  for  the  men  to  return.  Just  as 
they  reached  the  door,  Eddie  came  slowly  over 
to  her  from  the  barn.  His  face  was  hag- 
gard. He  looked  older  than  she  had  ever  seen 
him. 

"  Nora,"  he  said  in  a  low  tone,  "  I  beg  you, 
before  it  is  too  late " 

"  Please,  dear,"  she  whispered,  her  hand  on 
his,  "  you  only  make  it  harder." 

"  I'll  write,  Eddie,  oh,  in  a  few  days,  and  tell 
you  all  about  my  new  home,"  she  called  gayly, 
as  Frank,  having  disposed  of  her  trunk  in  the 
back  of  the  wagon,  lifted  her  in.  Her  brother 
turned  without  a  word  to  the  others  and  went 
into  the  house. 


164          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

As  she  felt  herself  for  the  second  time  in 
those  arms,  the  reaction  came. 

"Eddie,  Eddie !" 

But,  strangled  by  sobs,  her  voice  hardly 
carried  to  the  man  on  the  seat  in  front  of  her. 

As  he  sprang  in,  Frank  gave  the  horses  a 
flick  with  the  whip.  The  afternoon  air  was 
keen  and  the  high-spirited  team  needed  no  fur- 
ther urging.  They  swung  out  of  the  farm 
gate  at  a  pace  that  made  Reggie  cling  to  the 
seat. 

When  he  had  them  once  more  in  hand,  Taylor 
turned  his  head  slightly. 

"  All  right  back  there?  "  he  called,  without 
looking  at  her. 

She  managed  a  "  Yes." 

She  had  only  just  recovered  her  self-control 
as  they  drove  into  Winnipeg.  As  they  drew 
up  in  front  of  the  principal  hotel,  Taylor  turned 
the  reins  once  more  over  to  Reggie,  and,  vault- 
ing lightly  from  his  seat,  held  out  his  hand  and 
helped  her  to  alight. 

"  You'd  better  go  into  the  ladies*  parlor  for 
a  minute  or  two.  I'm  feeling  generous  and  am 
going  to  blow  Reg  to  a  parting  drink.  I'll  come 
after  you  in  a  minute  and  take  you  to  the  Y.  W. 
C.  A." 

"  Very  well." 

"  Here,"  he  called,  as  she  turned  toward  the 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          165 

door  marked  Ladies'  Entrance,  "  aren't  you 
going  to  say  good-by  to  Reg!  ' 

For  a  moment  she  almost  lost  her  hardly  re- 
gained self-control.  To  say  good-by  to  Reg  was 
the  final  wrench.  She  had  known  him  in  those 
immeasurably  far-off  days  at  home.  It  was  say- 
ing good-by  to  England.  She  held  out  her 
hand  without  speaking. 

"  Good-by,  Miss  Marsh,"  he  said  warmly, 
"  and  good  luck." 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  Taylor  came  to 
her  in  the  stuffy  little  parlor  of  which  she  was 
the  solitary  tenant.  In  silence  they  made  their 
way  to  the  building  occupied  by  the  Y.  W.  C.  A. 

"  You  have  money?  "  he  asked  as  they 
reached  the  door. 

"  Plenty,  thanks." 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  come  in  with  you?  ' 

"  It  isn't  necessary." 

"  What  time  shall  I  come  for  you  to-mor- 
row? " 

"  At  whatever  time  you  choose." 

"  Shall  we  say  ten,  then?  Or  eleven  might 
be  better.  I've  got  to  get  the  license,  you 
know,  and  look  up  the  parson." 

"  Very  good;  at  eleven." 

11  Goodnight,  Nora." 

11  Goodnight,  Frank." 

Nora's  first  impulse  on  being  shown  to  a 


166          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

room  was  to  go  at  once  to  bed.  Mind  and  body 
both  cried  out  for  rest.  But  she  remembered  that 
she  had  eaten  nothing  since  noon.  She  would 
need  all  her  strength  for  the  morrow.  She  sup- 
posed they  would  start  at  once  for  Taylor's 
farm  after  they  were  married. 

Good  God,  since  the  world  began  had  any 
woman  ever  trapped  herself  so  completely  as 
she  had  done!  But  she  must  not  think  of 
that. 

She  had  not  the  most  remote  idea  where  the 
farm  was.  All  she  remembered  to  have  heard 
was  that  it  was  west  of  Winnipeg,  miles  farther 
than  her  brother's.  One  couldn't  drive  to  it,  it 
was  necessary  to  take  the  train.  But  whether 
it  was  a  day's  journey  or  a  week's  journey, 
she  had  never  been  interested  enough  to  ask. 
After  all,  what  could  it  possibly  matter  where 
it  was;  the  farther  away  from  everybody 
and  everything  she  had  ever  known,  the 
better. 

The  sound  of  a  gong  in  the  hall  below  recalled 
her  thoughts  to  the  matter  of  supper.  She  went 
down  to  a  bare  little  dining-room,  only  partly 
filled,  and  accepted  silently  the  various  dishes 
set  before  her  all  at  one  time.  She  had  never 
seen  a  dinner — or  supper,  they  probably  called 
it — served  in  such  a  haphazard  fashion. 

Even  at  Gertie's — she  smiled  wanly  at  the 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          167 

thought  that  since  the  morning  she  no  longer 
thought  of  it  as  her  brother's,  but  as  Gertie's — 
while  such  a  thing  as  a  dinner  served  in  courses 
had  probably  never  been  heard  of  by  anyone  but 
Reggie,  her  brother  and  herself,  the  few  simple, 
well-cooked  dishes  bore  some  relation  to  each 
other,  and  the  supply  was  always  ample.  Ger- 
tie was  justly  proud  of  her  reputation  as  a  good 
provider. 

But  here  there  was  a  sort  of  mockery  of 
abundance.  Dabs  of  vegetables,  sauces,  pre- 
serves, meats,  both  hot  and  cold,  in  cheap  little 
china  dishes  fairly  elbowed  each  other  for  room. 
It  would  have  dulled  a  keener  appetite  than  poor 
Nora's. 

Having  managed  to  swallow  a  cup  of  weak 
tea  and  a  piece  of  heavy  bread,  she  went  once 
more  to  her  room  and  sat  down  by  the  window 
which  looked  out  on  what  she  took  to  be  one 
of  the  principal  streets  of  the  town.  Tired  as 
she  still  was,  she  felt  not  the  slightest  inclina- 
tion for  sleep.  The  thought  of  lying  there, 
wakeful,  in  the  dark,  filled  her  with  terror.  For 
the  first  time  in  her  life,  Nora  was  frightened. 
She  pressed  her  face  against  the  window  to 
watch  the  infrequent  passers-by.  Surely  none 
of  them  could  be  as  unhappy  as  she.  Like  a 
hideous  refrain,  over  and  over  in  her  head  rang 
the  words: 


168          THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

"  Trapped,  trapped,  trapped,  by  your  own 
mad  temper,  trapped!  " 

At  length,  unable  to  bear  it  any  longer,  the 
now  empty  street  offering  no  distraction,  she 
undressed  and  went  to  bed,  hoping  for  relief 
in  sleep.  But  sleep  would  not  be  wooed.  She 
tossed  from  side  to  side,  always  hearing  those 
maddening  words : 

"  Trapped,  trapped,  trapped,  by  your  own 
mad  temper,  trapped!  " 

All  sorts  of  impractical  schemes  tormented 
her  feverish  brain.  She  would  appeal  to  the 
manager  of  the  place.  She  was  a  woman.  She 
would  understand.  She  would  do  any  work, 
anything,  for  her  bare  keep.  Take  care  of  the 
rooms,  wait  on  table,  anything.  Then  the 
thought  came  to  her  of  how  Gertie  would  gloat 
to  hear — and  she  would  be  sure  to  do  so, 
things  always  got  out — that  she  was  now 
doing  her  old  work.  No,  she  could  not  bear 
that. 

Perhaps,  if  she  started  out  very  early,  she 
could  get  a  position  in  some  shop.  There  must 
be  plenty  of  shops  in  a  place  the  size  of  Win- 
nipeg. But  what  would  she  say  when  asked 
what  experience  she  had  had?  No;  that,  too, 
seemed  hopeless. 

As  a  last  resort,  she  thought  of  throwing  her- 
self on  Taylor's  mercy.  She  would  explain  to 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          169 

him  that  she  had  been  mad  with  anger;  that 
she  hadn't  in  the  least  realized  what  she  was  do- 
ing ;  that  her  only  thought  had  been  to  defy  Ger- 
tie in  the  hour  of  her  triumph.  Surely  no  man 
since  the  days  of  the  cave-men  would  prize  an 
unwilling  wife.  She  would  humbly  confess  that 
she  had  used  him  and  beg  his  pardon,  if  neces- 
sary, on  her  knees. 

But  what  if  he  refused  to  release  her  from 
her  promise?  And  what  if  he  did  release  her? 
What  then?  There  still  remained  the  unsolva- 
ble  problem  of  what  she  was  to  do.  Her 
brother  had  told  her  that  positions  in  Winnipeg 
during  the  winter  months  were  impossible  to 
get.  Gertie  had  taunted  her  with  the  same  fact. 
She  had  less  than  six  dollars  in  the  world.  After 
she  had  paid  her  bill  she  would  have  little  more 
than  four.  It  was  hopeless. 

11  Trapped,  trapped,  trapped,  by  your  own 
mad  temper,  trapped!  " 

And  then  more  plans ;  each  one  kindling  fresh 
hope  in  her  heart  only  to  have  it  extinguished, 
like  a  torch  thrown  into  a  pool,  when  they 
proved,  on  analysis,  each  to  be  more  imprac- 
ticable than  its  predecessor.  And  then,  the  re- 
frain. And  then,  more  plans. 

It  was  a  haggard  and  weary-looking  bride 
that  presented  herself  to  the  expectant  bride- 
groom the  next  morning.  The  great  circles 


170          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

under  her  eyes  told  the  story  of  a  sleepless 
night.  But  nothing  in  Taylor's  manner  be- 
trayed that  he  noticed  that  she  was  looking 
otherwise  than  as  usual. 

While  she  was  dressing,  Nora  had  come  to  a 
final  decision.  Quite  calmly  and  unemotionally 
she  would  explain  the  situation  to  him.  She 
would  point  out  the  impossibility,  the  absurdity 
even,  of  keeping  an  agreement  entered  into,  by 
one  of  the  parties  at  least,  in  hot  blood,  and 
thoroughly  repented  of,  on  later  and  saner  re- 
flection. In  the  remote  event  of  this  unan- 
swerable argument  failing  to  move  him,  she 
would  appeal  to  his  honor  as  a  man  not  to  hold 
her,  a  woman,  to  so  unfair  a  bargain.  She  had 
even  prepared  the  well-balanced  sentences  with 
which  she  would  begin. 

But  as  she  stood  with  her  cold  hand  in  his 
warm  one,  he  forestalled  her  by  exhibiting,  not 
without  a  certain  boyish  pride,  the  marriage 
license  and  the  plain  gold  band  which  was  to 
bind  her.  If  these  familiar  and  rather  common- 
place objects  had  been  endowed  with  some  evil 
magic,  they  could  not  have  deprived  her  of  the 
power  of  speech  more  effectively. 

Without  a  protest,  she  permitted  herself  to 
be  led  to  the  waiting  carriage,  provided  in  honor 
of  the  occasion.  It  seemed  but  a  moment  later 
that  she  found  herself  being  warmly  embraced 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          171 

by  a  motherly  looking  woman,  who,  it  trans- 
pired, was  the  wife  of  the  clergyman  who  had 
just  performed  the  ceremony. 

From  the  parsonage  they  drove  directly  to 
the  station. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  journey  had  seemed  endless:  it  was  al- 
ready night-fall  when  they  arrived  at  the  town 
of  Prentice,  where  they  were  to  get  off  and 
drive  some  twelve  miles  farther  to  her  new 
home.  And  yet,  endless  and  unspeakably 
wearying  as  it  was,  her  heart  contracted  to  find 
that  it  was  at  an  end. 

She  realized  now  how  comfortable,  even  lux- 
urious, her  trip  across  the  Continent  had  been 
by  comparison.  Then,  she  had  traveled  in  a 
Pullman.  This,  she  learned,  was  called  a  day- 
coach.  Her  husband  did  everything  in  his 
power  to  mitigate  the  rigors  of  the  trip.  He 
made  a  pillow  for  her  with  his  coat,  bought  her 
fruits,  candies  and  magazines  from  the  train- 
boy,  until  she  protested.  Best  of  all,  he  di- 
vined and  respected  her  disinclination  for  con- 
versation. At  intervals  during  the  day  he  left 
her  to  go  into  the  smoking-car  to  enjoy  his 
pipe. 

The  view  from  the  window  was,  on  the  whole, 
rather  monotonous.  But  it  would  have  had  to 
be  varied  indeed  to  match  the  mental  pictures 

172 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          173 

that  Nora's  flying  thoughts  conjured  up  for 
her. 

The  dead  level  of  her  life  at  Tunbridge  Wells 
had  been  a  curious  preparation  for  the  violent 
changes  of  the  last  few  months.  How  often 
when  walking  in  the  old-world  garden  with 
Miss  Wickham  she  had  had  the  sensation  of 
stifling,  oppressed  by  those  vine-covered  walls, 
and  inwardly  had  likened  herself  to  a  prisoner. 
There  were  no  walls  now  to  confine  her.  Clear 
away  to  the  sunset  it  was  open.  And  yet  she 
was  more  of  a  prisoner  than  she  had  ever  been. 
And  now  she  wore  a  fetter,  albeit  of  gold,  on 
her  hand. 

It  had  been  her  habit  to  think  of  herself  with 
pity  as  friendless  in  those  days;  forgetful  of 
the  good  doctor  and  his  wife,  Agnes  Pringle 
and  even  Mr.  Wynne,  not  to  speak  of  her  hum- 
bler friends,  the  gardener's  wife  and  children, 
and  the  good  Kate.  Well,  she  was  being  pun- 
ished for  it  now.  It  would  be  hard,  indeed,  to 
imagine  a  more  friendless  condition  than  hers. 
Eushing  onward,  farther  and  farther  into  the 
wilderness  to  make  for  herself  a  home  miles 
from  any  human  habitation;  no  woman,  in  all 
probability,  to  turn  to  in  case  of  need.  And, 
crowning  loneliness,  having  ever  at  her  side  a 
man  with  whom  she  had  been  on  terms  of  open 
enmity  up  to  a  few  short  hours  before ! 


174          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

From  time  to  time  she  stole  furtive  glances 
at  him  as  he  sat  at  her  side ;  and  once,  when  he 
had  put  his  head  back  against  the  seat  and 
pulled  his  broad-brimmed  hat  over  his  eyes  and 
was  seemingly  asleep,  she  turned  her  head  and 
gave  him  a  long  appraising  look. 

How  big  and  strong  and  self-reliant  he  was. 
He  was  just  the  type  of  man  who  would  go  out 
into  the  wilderness  and  conquer  it.  And,  al- 
though she  had  scoffed  at  his  statement  when 
he  made  it,  she  knew  that  he  had  brains.  Yes, 
although  his  lack  of  education  and  refinement 
must  often  touch  her  on  the  raw,  he  was  a  man 
whom  any  woman  could  respect  in  her  heart. 

And  when  they  clashed,  as  clash  they  must 
until  she  had  tamed  him  a  little,  she  would  need 
every  weapon  in  her  woman's  arsenal  to  save 
her  from  utter  route;  she  realized  that.  But 
then,  these  big,  rough  men  were  always  the  first 
to  respond  to  any  appeal  to  their  natural  chiv- 
alry. If  she  found  herself  being  worsted,  there 
was  always  that  to  fall  back  upon. 

If  from  some  other  world  Miss  Wickham 
could  see  her,  how  she  must  be  smiling!  Nora, 
herself,  smiled  at  the  thought.  And  at  the 
thought  of  Agnes  Pringle's  outraged  astonish- 
ment if  she  were  to  meet  her  husband  now,  be- 
fore she  had  toned  him  down,  as  she  meant  to 
do.  She  recalled  the  chill  finality  of  her  friend  'a 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          175 

tone  when  in  animadverting  on  the  doctor's  un- 
fortunate assistant  she  had  said:  "  But,  my 
dear,  of  course  it  would  be  impossible  to  marry 
anyone  who  wasn't  a  gentleman." 

If  by  some  Arabian  Night's  trick  she  could 
suddenly  transport  herself  and  the  sleeping 
Frank  to  Miss  Pringle's  side,  she  felt  that  that 
excellent  lady's  astonishment  at  seeing  her  de- 
scend from  the  Magic  Carpet  would  be  as  noth- 
ing in  comparison  to  her  astonishment  in  being 
presented  to  Nora's  husband. 

Her  mind  had  grown  accustomed  already  to 
thinking  of  him  as  her  husband ;  not,  as  yet,  to 
thinking  of  herself  as  his  wife. 

At  supper  time  they  went  into  a  car  ahead, 
where  Frank  ate  with  his  accustomed  appetite 
and  Nora  pecked  daintily  at  the  cold  chicken. 

And  now  they  were  at  Prentice.  For  some 
minutes  before  arriving,  Frank,  who  had  asked 
her  a  few  moments  before  to  change  places  with 
him,  had  been  looking  anxiously  out  of  the  win- 
dow, his  nose  flattened  against  the  glass.  As 
they  drew  up  to  the  station  platform,  he  gave 
a  shout. 

"  Good!  There's  old  man  Sharp.  Luckily 
I  remembered  it  was  the  day  he  generally  drove 
over  and  wired  him." 

"  What  for?  " 

11  So  that  he  could  drive  us  home.    He's  a 


176          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

near  neighbor;  lives  only  about  a  mile  beyond 
us.  He's  married,  too.  So  you  won't  be  en- 
tirely without  a  woman  to  complain  to  about 
me." 

"  I  should  hardly  be  likely  to  do  that,"  said 
Nora  stiffly. 

11  Bless  your  heart!  I  know  you  wouldn't: 
you're  not  that  sort." 

"  I  hope  she's  not  much  like  Gertie." 

"  Gosh,  no!  A  different  breed  of  cats  alto- 
gether. ' ' 

"  Well,  that's  something  to  be  thankful 
for." 

"  This  is  Mr.  Sharp;  Sid,  shake  hands  with. 
Mrs.  Frank  Taylor." 

It  was  the  first  time  that  she  had  heard  her- 
self called  by  her  new  name.  It  came  as  a  dis- 
tinct and  not  altogether  pleasant  shock. 

Once  again  her  husband  lifted  her  in  his 
strong  arms  to  the  back  seat  of  the  rough- 
looking  wagon  and  saw  to  it  that  she  was 
warmly  wrapped  up,  for,  although  there  was 
little  or  no  snow  to  be  seen  at  Prentice,  the  night 
air  was  sharply  chill.  She  moved  over  a  little 
to  make  room  for  him  at  her  side ;  but  without 
appearing  to  notice  her  action,  he  jumped  lightly 
onto  the  front  seat  beside  his  friend. 

"  Let  'em  go,  Sid.  Everything  all  comforta- 
ble? "  he  asked,  turning  to  Nora. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          177 

"  Quite,  thanks." 

Throughout  the  long  cold  drive,  they  ex- 
changed no  further  word.  Frank  and  Sid 
seemed  to  have  much  to  say  to  each  other  about 
their  respective  farms.  Nora  gathered  from 
what  she  could  hear  that  Sharp  had  played  the 
part  of  a  good  neighbor,  during  her  husband's 
enforced  absence,  in  having  a  general  oversight 
of  his  house. 

"  You'll  find  the  fence's  down  in  quite  a  few 
places.  I  allowed  to  fix  it  myself  when  I  had 
the  spare  time,  but  when  I  heard  that  you  was 
comin'  back  so  soon,  I  just  naturally  let  her 
go." 

"  Sure,  that  was  right.  It'll  give  me  some- 
thing to  do  right  at  home.  I  don't  want  to 
leave  Mrs.  Taylor  too  much  alone  until  she  gets 
a  little  used  to  it.  She's  always  been  used  to 
a  lot  of  company,"  Nora  heard  him  say. 

She  smiled  to  herself  in  the  darkness  and  felt 
a  little  warm  feeling  of  gratitude.  She  was 
right  in  her  estimate.  This  man  would  be 
tractable  enough,  after  all.  His  attitude  toward 
women,  which  had  formerly  so  enraged  her,  was 
only  on  the  surface.  An  affectation  assumed 
to  annoy  her  when  they  were  always  quarreling. 
How  foolish  she  had  been  not  to  read  him  more 
accurately.  For  the  first  time,  she  felt  a  little 
return  of  self-confidence.  She  would  bring  this 


178          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

hazardous  experiment  to  a  successful  conclu- 
sion, after  all.  It  was  really  failure  that  she 
had  most  feared. 

But  her  heart  sank  within  her  once  more  when 
at  last  they  drew  up  in  front  of  a  long,  low 
cabin  built  of  logs.  Mr.  Sharp  had  not  over- 
stated the  dilapidated  state  of  the  fence.  It 
sagged  in  half  a  dozen  places  and  one  hinge  of 
the  gate  was  broken.  Altogether  it  was  as 
dreary  a  picture  as  one  could  well  imagine. 
The  little  cabin  had  the  utterly  forlorn  look 
of  a  house  that  has  long  been  unoccupied. 

"  Woa  there!  Stand  still,  can't  you!  "  said 
Sharp,  tugging  at  the  reins. 

"  A  tidy  pull,  that  last  bit,"  said  Frank. 
"  Trail's  very  bad." 

"  Stand  still,  you  brute!  Wait  a  minute, 
Mrs.  Taylor." 

"  I  guess  she  wants  to  get  home." 

Taylor  vaulted  lightly  from  his  seat  and, 
without  waiting  to  help  Nora,  ran  up  the  path 
to  the  house.  As  she  stood  up,  trying  to  dis- 
entangle herself  from  the  heavy  lap-robe,  she 
could  hear  a  key  turn  noisily  in  a  lock.  With 
a  jerk,  he  threw  the  door  wide  open. 

"  Wait  a  bit  and  I'll  light  the  lamp,  if  I  can 
find  where  the  hell  it's  got  to,"  he  called. 
"  This  shack's  about  two  foot  by  three,  and 
I'm  blamed  if  I  can  ever  find  a  darned  thing!  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          179 

Nora  smiled  to  herself  in  the  darkness. 

She  got  down  unassisted  this  time.  Under 
the  bright  and  starry  sky  she  could  see  a  long 
stretch  of  prairie,  fading  away,  without  a  break 
into  the  darkness.  A  long  way  off  she  thought 
she  could  distinguish  a  light,  but  she  could  not 
be  certain. 

"  I  '11  give  you  a  hand  with  the  trunk, ' '  called 
Sharp,  laboriously  climbing  out  of  the  wagon. 
' '  Woa  there, ' '  as  the  mare  pawed  restlessly  on 
the  ground. 

"  I'll  come  and  help  you  if  you'll  wait  a  bit. 
Come  on  in,  Nora." 

Nora  hunted  round  among  the  numerous  par- 
cels underneath  the  seat  until  she  found  a 
meshed  bag  containing  some  bread,  butter  and 
other  necessaries  they  had  bought  on  the  way 
to  the  station.  Then  she  walked  slowly  up  the 
path  to  her  home. 

She  had  the  feeling  that  she  was  still  a  free 
agent  as  long  as  she  remained  outside.  Once 

her  foot  had  crossed  the  threshold !  It  was 

like  getting  into  an  ice-cold  bath.  She  dreaded 
the  plunge.  However,  it  must  be  taken.  He 
was  standing  stock-still  in  the  middle  of  the 
room  as  she  reached  the  door,  his  heavy  brows 
drawn  together. 

"I'm  quite  stiff  after  that  long  drive." 

The  moment  the  words  were  out  of  her  mouth 


180          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

she  wished  to  recall  them.  This  was  no  way 
to  begin.  It  was  actually  as  if  she  had  been 
trying  to  excuse  herself  for  not  coming  more 
quickly  when  she  was  called.  His  whole  atti- 
tude of  frowning  impatience  showed  that  he  had 
expected  her  to  come  at  the  sound  of  his  voice. 
His  face  cleared  at  once. 

"  Are  you  cold?  "  he  asked  with  a  certain 
anxiety. 

"  No,  not  a  bit;  I  was  so  well  wrapped  up." 

"  Well,  it's  freezing  pretty  hard.  But,  you 
see,  it's  your  first  winter  and  you  won't  feel  the 
cold  like  we  do?  " 

"  How  odd,"  said  Nora.  "  I'll  just  bring 
some  of  the  things  in."  She  had  an  odd  feel- 
ing that  she  didn't  want  to  be  alone  with  him 
just  now,  and  said  the  first  thing  that  entered 
her  head. 

"  Don't  touch  the  trunk,  it's  too  heavy  for 
you. ' ' 

"  Oh,  I'm  as  strong  as  a  horse." 

"  Don'Uowcfcit." 

"  I  won't,"  she  laughed. 

He  brushed  by  her  and  went  on  out  to  the  rig, 
returning  almost  instantly  with  an  arm  full  of 
parcels. 

"  We  could  all  do  with  a  cup  of  tea.  Just 
have  a  look  at  the  stove.  It  won't  take  two 
shakes  to  light  a  fire." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          181 

"  It  seems  hardly  worth  while;  it's  so  late." 

"  Oh,  light  the  fire,  my  girl,  and  don't  talk 
about  it,"  he  said  good-humoredly. 

On  her  knees  before  the  stove,  with  her  face 
as  flushed  as  if  it  were  already  glowing,  Nora 
raked  away  at  the  ashes.  Through  the  open 
doorway  she  could  see  her  husband  and  Mr. 
Sharp  unfasten  the  trunk  from  the  back  of  the 
wagon  and  start  with  it  toward  the  house. 

"  This  trunk  of  yours  ain't  what  you  might 
call  light,  Mrs.  Taylor,"  said  Sharp  good-na- 
turedly as  he  stepped  over  the  threshold. 

"  You  see  it  holds  everything  I  own  in  the 
world,"  said  Nora  lightly. 

"  I  guess  it  don't  do  that,"  laughed  her  hus- 
band. "  Since  this  morning,  you  own  a  half 
share  in  a  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  as  good 
land  as  there  is  in  the  Province  of  Manitoba, 
and  a  mighty  good  shack,  if  I  did  build  it  all 
myself. ' ' 

"  To  say  nothing  of  a  husband,"  retorted 
Nora. 

"  Where  do  you  want  it  put?  "  asked  Sharp. 

"  It  'ud  better  go  in  the  next  room  right 
away.  "We  don't  want  to  be  falling  over  it." 

As  they  were  carrying  it  in,  Nora,  with  a 
rather  helpless  air,  carried  a  couple  of  logs  and 
a  handful  of  newspapers  over  from  the  pile  in 
the  corner. 


182          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Here,  you'll  never  be  able  to  light  a  fires 
with  logs  like  that.  Where's  that  darned  ax? 
I'll  chop  'em  for  you.  I  guess  you'll  have  plenty 
to  do  getting  the  shack  tidy. ' ' 

After  a  little  searching,  he  found  the  ax 
back  of  the  wood-pile  and  set  himself  to 
splitting  the  logs.  In  the  meantime,  Sharp, 
who  had  made  another  pilgrimage  to  the 
rig,  returned  carrying  his  friend's  grip  and 
gun. 

"  Now,  that's  real  good  of  you,  Sid.'* 

"  Get  any  shooting  down  at  Dyer,  Frank?  ' 

"  There  was  a  rare  lot  of  prairie  chickens 
round,  but  I  didn't  get  out  more  than  a  couple 
of  days." 

"  Well,"  said  Sharp,  taking  off  his  fur  cap 
and  scratching  his  head,  "  I  guess  I'll  be  gettin' 
back  home  now." 

"  Oh,  stay  and  have  a  cup  of  tea,  won't 
you?  " 

"  Do,"  said  Nora,  seconding  the  invitation. 

She  had  taken  quite  a  fancy  to  this  rough, 
good-natured  man.  In  spite  of  his  straggly 
beard  and  unkempt  appearance,  there  was  a 
vague  suggestion  of  the  soldier  about  him.  Be- 
sides, she  had  a  vague  feeling  that  she  would 
like  to  postpone  his  departure  as  long  as  she 
could. 

"  I  hope  you  won't  be  offended  if  I  say  that 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          183 

I  would  take  you  for  English, ' '  she  said,  smiling 
brightly  on  him. 

"  You're  right,  ma'am,  I  am  English." 

' '  And  a  soldier  f  ' ' 

"  I  was  a  non-commissioned  officer  in  a  regi- 
ment back  home,  ma'am,"  he  said,  greatly 
pleased.  "  But  why  should  I  be  offended?  " 

Nora  and  her  husband  exchanged  glances. 

11  It's  this  way,"  Frank  laughed.  "  Gertie, 
that's  Nora's  brother's  wife — down  where  I've 
been  working — ain't  very  partial  to  the  Eng- 
lish. I  guess  my  wife 's  been  rather  fed  up  with 
her  talk." 

"  Oh,  I  see.  But,  thank  you  all  the  same, 
and  you,  too,  Mrs.  Taylor,  I  don't  think  I'll 
stay.  It's  getting  late  and  the  mare '11  get 
cold." 

'  *  Put  her  in  the  shed. ' ' 

"  No,  I  think  I'll  be  toddling.  My  missus 
says  I  was  to  give  you  her  compliments,  Mrs. 
Taylor,  and  she'll  be  round  to-morrow  to  see  if 
there 's  anything  you  want. ' ' 

"  That's  very  kind  of  her.  Thank  you  very 
much. ' ' 

"  Sid  lives  where  you  can  see  that  light  just 
about  a  mile  from  here,  Nora,"  explained 
Frank.  "  Mrs.  Sharp '11  be  able  to  help  you  a 
lot  at  fir st." 

"  Oh,   well,   we've  been   here   for   thirteen 


184         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

years  and  we  know  the  ways  of  the  country  by 
now, ' '  deprecated  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  Nora's  about  as  green  as  a  new  dollar  bill, 
I  guess." 

"  I  fear  that's  too  true,"  Nora  admitted  smil- 
ingly. 

"  There's  a  lot  you  can't  be  expected  to  know 
at  first,"  protested  their  neighbor.  "  I'll  say 
good  night,  then,  and  good  luck." 

"  Well,  good  night  then,  Sid,  if  you  won't 
stay.  And  say,  it  was  real  good  of  you  to  come 
and  fetch  us  in  the  rig. ' ' 

11  Oh,  that's  all  right.  Good  night  to  you, 
Mrs.  Taylor." 

11  Good  night." 

Pulling  his  cap  well  down  over  his  ears,  Mr. 
Sharp  took  his  departure.  In  the  silence  they 
could  hear  him  drive  away. 

Nora  went  over  to  the  stove  again  and  made 
a  pretense  of  examining  the  fire,  conscious  all 
the  time  that  her  husband  was  looking  at  her 
intently. 

"  I  guess  it  must  seem  funny  to  you  to  hear 
him  call  you  Mrs.  Taylor,  eh?  ' 

"  No.  He  isn't  the  first  person  to  do 
so.  The  clergyman's  wife  did,  you  remem- 
ber." 

"  That's  so.  How  are  you  getting  on  with 
that  fire?  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          185 

"  All  right." 

"  I  guess  I'll  get  some  water;  I'll  only  be  a 
few  minutes." 

He  took  a  pail  and  went  out.  Nora  could 
hear  him  pumping  down  in  the  yard.  Getting 
up  hurriedly  from  her  knees  before  the  stove, 
she  took  up  the  lamp  and  held  it  high  above 
her  head. 

This  untidy,  comfortless,  bedraggled  room 
was  now  hers,  her  home !  She  would  not  have 
believed  that  any  human  habitation  could  be  so 
hopelessly  dreary. 

The  walls  were  not  even  sealed,  as  at  the 
brother's.  Tacked,  here  and  there,  against  the 
logs  were  pictures  cut  from  illustrated  papers, 
unframed,  just  as  they  were.  The  furniture, 
with  the  exception  of  the  inevitable  rocking- 
chair,  worn  and  shabby  from  hard  use,  had  ap- 
parently been  made  by  Frank,  himself,  out  of 
old  packing  boxes.  The  table  had  been  fash- 
ioned by  the  same  hand  out  of  similar  ma- 
terials. On  a  shelf  over  the  rusty  stove  stood 
a  few  battered  pots  and  pans;  evidently  the 
entire  kitchen  equipment.  There  were  two 
doors,  one  by  which  she  had  entered ;  the  other, 
leading  supposedly  into  another  room.  The 
one  window  was  small  and  low.  Even  in  this 
light  she  could  see  that  a  spider  had  spun  a 
huge  web  across  it.  In  the  dark  comers  of  the 


186          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

room  all  sorts  of  objects  seemed  to  be  piled 
without  any  pretense  of  order. 

She  lowered  the  lamp  and  listened.  Yes,  she 
could  still  hear  the  pump.  With  a  furtive,  guilty 
air  she  hurried  to  complete  her  examination 
before  he  should  surprise  her. 

One  of  the  corners  contained  a  battered  suit- 
case and  a  nondescript  pile  of  old  clothes,  the 
other  was  piled  high  with  yellowing  copies  of 
what  she  saw  was  the  Winnipeg  Free  Press  and 
a  few  old  magazines. 

"  The  library!  "  she  said  bitterly,  and  was 
surprised  to  find  that  she  had  spoken  aloud. 
Insane  people  did  that,  she  had  heard.  Was 
she ? 

She  ran  over  to  a  shelf  that  had  escaped  her 
notice,  and  the  ill-fitting  lamp  chimney  rattled 
as  she  moved.  It  was  stacked  high  with  the 
same  empty  syrup  cans  that  at  Gertie 's  did  the 
duty  of  flower-pots.  But  these  held  flour,  now 
quite  mouldy,  and  various  other  staple  supplies 
all  spoiled  and  useless.  She  started  to  say 
"  the  larder,"  but,  remembering  in  time,  put 
her  hand  over  her  lips  that  she  might  only 
think  it. 

And  now  she  had  come  to  that  other  door. 
She  must  see  what  was  there. 

"  Having  a  look  at  the  shack?  " 

She  gave  a  stifled  scream  and  for  a  moment 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          187 

turned  so  pale  that  he  hastily  set  down  his  pail 
and  went  over  to  her. 

"  I  guess  you're  all  tuckered  out,'*  he  said 
kindly.  "  No  wonder.  You've  had  quite  a  little 
excitement  the  last  day  or  two." 

With  a  tremendous  effort,  Nora  recovered 
her  self-control.  She  walked  steadily  over  to 
one  of  the  packing-box  stools  and  sat  down. 

11  It  was  silly  of  me,  but  you  don't  know  how 
you  startled  me.  Don't  think  I  usually  have 
nerves,  but — but  the  place  was  strange  last 
night  and  I  didn't  sleep  very  well." 

"  Do  you  mind  if  I  open  the  door  a  mo- 
ment? "  she  asked  after  a  short  pause.  "  It 
isn't  really  cold  and  it  looks  so  beautiful  out- 
side. One  can't  see  anything  out  of  the  win- 
dow, you  know,  it's  so  cobwebby.  I  must  clean 
it — to-morrow. ' ' 

Try  as  she  would,  her  voice  faltered  on  the 
last  word. 

She  threw  open  the  door  and  stood  a  moment 
looking  out  into  the  bright  Canadian  night  bril- 
liant with  stars.  It  was  all  so  big,  so  open,  so 
free — and  so  lonely !  You  could  fairly  hear  the 
stillness.  But  she  must  not  think  of  that.  Ah, 
there  was  the  light  that  she  had  been  told  was 
the  Sharp's  farm.  Somehow,  it  brought  her 
comfort.  But  even  as  she  watched,  the  light 
went  out.  She  came  in  and  closed  the  door. 


CHAPTER  XH 

HE  was  sitting  on  one  of  the  stools,  pipe  in 
mouth,  reading  a  newspaper  he  had  already 
read  in  the  train. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  the  shack?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  I  built  it  with  my  own  hands.  Every  one 
of  them  logs  was  a  tree  I  cut  down  myself. 
You  wait  till  morning  and  I'll  show  you  how 
they're  joined  together,  at  the  corners.  There's 
some  neat  work  there,  my  girl,  I  guess." 

"  Yes!  Oh,  I  was  forgetting;  here's  the  ket- 
tle. ' '  She  brought  it  over  to  him  from  the  shelf. 
He  filled  the  kettle  carefully  from  the  pail  while 
she  stood  and  watched  him.  She  took  it  from 
his  hand  and  set  it  on  the  stove  to  boil. 

"  You'll  find  some  tea  in  one  of  them  cans 
on  the  shelf;  leastways,  there  was  some  there 
when  I  come  away.  I  reckon  you're  hungry." 

"  I  don't  think  I  am,  very.  I  ate  a  very 
good  supper  on  the  train,  you  know." 

"I'm  glad  you  call  that  a  good  supper.  I 
guess  I  could  wrap  up  the  amount  you  ate  in 
a  postage  stamp." 

"  Well,"  she  said  with  a  smile,  "  you  may 

188 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          189 

be  glad  to  learn  that  I  haven't  a  very  large 
appetite." 

"  I  have,  then.  Where's  the  loaf  we  got  in 
Winnipeg  this  afternoon?  ' 

"  I'll  get  it." 

"  And  the  butter.  You'll  bake  to-morrow,  I 
reckon." 

"  You're  a  brave  man — unless  you've  for- 
gotten my  first  attempt  at  Eddie's,"  she  said 
with  a  laugh  as  she  took  the  loaf  and  butter 
from  the  bag. 

For  some  reason  her  mood  had  completely 
changed.  All  her  confidence  in  being  perfectly 
able  to  take  care  of  herself  had  returned.  She 
had  been  frightened,  badly  frightened  a  mo- 
ment ago  at  nothing.  Nerves,  nothing  more. 
Nerves  were  queer  things.  It  was  because  she 
hadn't  slept  last  night.  She  was  such  a  good 
sleeper  naturally  that  a  wakeful  night  affected 
her  more  than  it  did  most  people.  The  cool 
night  air  had  completely  restored  her. 

She  hunted  about  until  she  found  a  knife, 
and  with  the  loaf  in  one  hand  and  the  knife 
poised  in  the  air  asked: 

"  Shall  I  cut  you  some?  " 

"  Yep." 

"  Please." 

11  Please  what?  " 

"  Yep,  please,"  she  said  with  a  gay  smile. 


190         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"Oh!  "he  growled. 

Still  smiling,  she  cut  several  slices  of  bread 
and  buttered  them.  Going  to  the  shelf,  she 
found  the  teapot  and  shook  some  tea  into  it 
from  one  of  the  cans,  measuring  it  carefully 
with  her  eye.  His  momentary  ill  humor,  caused 
by  her  correcting  him,  vanished  as  he  watched 
her. 

"  I  guess  it's  about  time  you  took  your  hat 
and  coat  off,"  he  said  with  a  chuckle. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  she  was  not  conscious 
that  they  were  still  on.  Without  a  word,  she 
took  them  off  and,  having  given  her  coat  a  little 
shake  and  a  pat,  looked  about  her  for  a  place 
to  put  them.  She  ended  finally  by  putting  them 
both  on  the  kitchen  chair. 

"  You  ain't  terribly  talkative  for  a  woman, 
are  you,  my  girl  1  ' ' 

"  I  haven't  anything  to  say  for  the  moment," 
said  Nora. 

"  Well,  I  guess  it's  better  to  have  a  wife  as 
talks  too  little  than  a  wife  as  talks  too  much." 

"  I  suppose  absolute  perfection  is  rare — in 
women,  poor  wretches,"  she  said  in  the  old 
ironic  tone  she  had  always  used  toward  him 
while  he  was  her  brother's  hired  man. 

"  What's  that?  "  he  said  sharply. 

"  I  was  only  amusing  myself  with  a  reflec- 
tion." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          191 

He  checked  an  angry  retort,  and  striding  over 
to  a  nail  in  the  wall,  took  off  his  coat  and  hung 
it  up.  Somehow,  he  looked  larger  than  ever 
in  his  gray  sweater.  A  sense  of  comfort  and 
unaccustomed  well-being  restored  him  to  good 
humor.  Throwing  himself  into  the  rocker,  he 
stretched  out  his  long  legs  luxuriantly. 

"  I  guess  there's  no  place  like  home.  You 
get  a  bit  fed  up  with  hiring  out.  Ed  was  0.  K., 
I  reckon,  but  it  ain't  like  being  your  own  boss." 

."I  should  think  it  wouldn't  be,"  said  Nora 
quietly. 

"  Where  does  that  door  go?  "  she  asked  pres- 
ently. 

' '  That  ?  Oh,  into  the  bedroom.  Like  to  have 
a  look?  " 

"  No." 

* '  No  what  ?  "  he  said  quickly. 

Nora  turned  from  the  shelf  where  she  had 
been  contriving  a  place  to  put  the  things  they 
had  brought  from  the  town,  and  looked  at  him 
inquiringly.  His  face  was  grave,  but  a  twinkle 
in  his  eye  betrayed  him.  She  blushed  charm- 
ingly to  the  roots  of  her  hair,  but  her  laugh  was 
perfectly  frank  and  good-humored.  "  I  beg 
your  pardon.  I  was  so  occupied  with  arrang- 
ing my  pantry  that  I  forgot  my  manners.  No, 
thank  you." 

"  One  can't  be  too  careful  about  these  impor- 


192          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

tant  things,"  he  said  with  rather  heavy  humor. 
"  When  I  built  this  shack,"  he  went  on  proudly 
—but  the  pride  was  the  pride  of  possession,  not 
of  achievement — "  I  fixed  it  up  so  as  it  would 
do  when  I  got  married.  Sid  Sharp  asked  me 
what  in  hell  I  wanted  to  divide  it  up  in  half 
for,  but  I  guess  women  like  little  luxuries  like 
that." 

11  Like  what?  " 

"  Like  having  a  room  to  sleep  in  and  a  room 
to  live  in." 

"  Here's  the  bread  and  butter,"  said  Nora 
abruptly.  "  Will  you  have  some  syrup?  ' 

"  S-u-r-e."  He  got  up  out  of  the  rocking 
chair  and  pulling  one  of  the  stools  up  to  the 
table,  sat  down. 

"  The  water  ought  to  be  boiling  by  now; 
what  about  milk?  " 

"  That's  one  of  the  things  you'll  have  to  learn 
to  do  without  till  I  can  afford  to  buy  a  cow.  ' ' 

"  I  can't  drink  tea  without  milk." 

"  You  try.    Say,  can  you  milk  a  cow?  r 

"I?    No." 

"  Then  it's  just  as  well  I  ain't  got  one." 

Nora  laughed.    "  You  are  a  philosopher." 

Having  filled  the  teapot  with  boiling  water 
and  set  it  on  the  table,  she  returned  to  the  shelf 
and  began  moving  the  things  about  in  search  of 
something. 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          193 

'  '  What  you  looking  for  ?  ' 

"  Is  there  a  candle?  I'll  just  get  one  or 
two  things  out  of  my  box  and  bring  in 
here." 

"  Ain't  you  going  to  sit  down  and  have  a  cup 
of  tea?  " 

"  I  don't  want  any,  thanks." 

1  '  Sit  down,  my  girl.  '  ' 


"  Because  I  tell  you  to."  The  command  was 
smilingly  given. 

"  I  don't  think  you'd  better  tell  me  to  do 
things."  Nora  could  smile,  too. 

"  Then  I  ask  you.  You  ain't  going  to  refuse 
the  first  favor  I've  asked  you?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  she  said  in  her  most  charm- 
ing manner.  Pulling  another  of  the  stools  up 
to  the  table,  she  sat  facing  him, 

11  There." 

"  Now,  pour  out  my  tea  for  me,  will  you? 
I  tell  you,"  he  said,  watching  her  slim  hands 
moving  among  the  tea  things,  "  it  's  rum  seeing 
my  wife  sitting  down  at  my  table  and  pouring 
out  tea  for  me." 

11  Is  it  pleasant?  " 

"  Sure.  Now  have  some  tea  yourself,  my 
girl.  You'll  soon  get  used  to  drinking  it  with- 
out milk.  And  I  guess  you'll  be  able  to  get  some 
to-morrow  from  Mrs.  Sharp.  '  ' 


194          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Nora  noticed  that  he  did  not  taste  his  tea 
until  she  had  poured  herself  a  cup. 

"  Just  take  a  bit  of  the  bread  and  butter." 

He  passed  her  the  plate  and  she,  still  smiling 
brightly,  broke  off  a  small  half  of  one  of  the 
slices. 

"  I  had  a  sort  of  feeling  I  wanted  you  and 
me  to  have  the  first  meal  together  in  your  new 
home,"  he  said  gently. 

Then,  with  a  sudden  change  of  manner,  he 
laughed  aloud. 

"  We  ain't  lost  much  time,  I  guess.  Why, 
it's  only  yesterday  you  told  me  not  to  call  you 
Nora.  You  did  -flare  out  at  me!  " 

"  That  was  very  silly  of  me,  but  I  was  in  a 
temper. ' ' 

"  And  now  we're  man  and  wife." 

"  Yes:  married  in  haste  with  a  vengeance." 

"  Ain't  you  a  bit  scared?  " 

"  I?    What  of?    You?  " 

Her  voice  was  steady,  but  the  hands  in  her 
lap  were  clenched. 

"  With  Ed  miles  away,  t'other  side  of  Win- 
nipeg, he  might  just  as  well  be  in  the  old  coun- 
try for  all  the  good  he  can  be  to  you.  You 
might  naturally  be  a  bit  scared  to  find  yourself 
alone  with  a  man  you  don't  know." 

"I'm  not  the  nervous  sort." 

"  Good  for  you!  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          195 

"  You  did  give  me  a  fright,  though,"  said 
Nora,  with  a  laugh,  "  when  I  asked  you  if  you'd 
take  me.  I  suppose  it  was  only  about  fifteen 
seconds  before  you  answered,  but  it  seemed  like 
ten  minutes.  I  thought  you  were  going  to  re- 
fuse. How  Gertie  would  have  gloated !  ' ' 

"  I  was  thinking." 

"  I  see.  Counting  up  my  good  points  and 
balancing  them  against  my  bad  ones." 

"  N-o-o-o:  I  was  thinking  you  wouldn't  have 
asked  me  like  that  if  you  hadn't  of  despised 
me." 

Nora  caught  her  breath  sharply,  but  her  man- 
ner lost  none  of  its  lightness. 

"  I  don't  know  what  made  you  think  that." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  how  you  could  have  put 
it  more  plainly  that  my  name  was  mud. ' ' 

"  Why  didn't  you  refuse,  then?  ' 

"  I  guess  I'm  not  the  nervous  sort,  either,"  he 
remarked  dryly  over  his  teacup. 

"  And,"  Nora  reminded  him,  "  women  are 
scarce  in  Manitoba." 

"  I've  always  fancied  an  English  woman,"  he 
went  on,  ignoring  her  little  thrust.  "  They 
make  the  best  wives  going  when  they've  been 
licked  into  shape. ' ' 

Nora  showed  her  amusement  frankly. 

11  Are  you  purposing  to  attempt  that  opera- 
tion on  me  I  ' ' 


196          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Well,  you're  clever.  I  guess  a  hint  or  two 
is  about  all  you'll  want." 

"  You  embarrass  me  when  you  pay  me  com- 
pliments." 

"  I'll  take  you  round  and  show  you  the  land 
to-morrow,"  he  said,  tilting  back  on  his  stool, 
to  the  imminent  peril  of  his  equilibrium.  "  I 
ain't  done  all  the  clearing  yet,  so  there'll  be 
plenty  of  work  for  the  winter.  I  want  to  have 
a  hundred  acres  to  sow  next  year.  And  then, 
if  I  get  a  good  crop,  I've  a  mind  to  take  another 
quarter.  You  can't  make  it  pay  really  without 
you've  got  half  a  section.  And  it's  a  tough 
proposition  when  you  ain't  got  capital." 

"  I  had  no  idea  I  was  marrying  a  million- 
aire." 

' '  Never  you  mind,  my  girl,  you  shan  't  live  in 
a  shack  long,  I  promise  you.  It's  the  greatest 
country  in  the  world.  We  only  want  three  good 
crops  and  you  shall  have  a  brick  house  same  as 
you  lived  in  back  home." 

"  I  wonder  what  they're  doing  in  England 
now. ' ' 

"  Well,  I  guess  they're  asleep." 

"  When  I  think  of  England  I  always  think 
of  it  at  tea  time,"  began  Nora,  and  then  stopped 
short. 

A  wave  of  regret  caught  her  throat.  In  spite 
of  herself,  the  tears  filled  her  eyes.  She  looked 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          197 

miserably  at  the  cheap,  ugly  tea  things  on  the 
makeshift  table  before  her.  Her  husband 
watched  her  gravely.  Presently  she  went  on, 
more  to  herself  than  to  him : 

"  Miss  Wickham  had  a  beautiful  old  silver 
teapot,  a  George  Second.  She  was  awfully 
proud  of  it.  And  she  was  proud  of  her  tea-set; 
it  was  old  Worcester.  And  she  wouldn't  let 

anyone  wash  the  tea  things  but "  Again, 

her  voice  failed  her.  ' '  And  two  or  three  times 
a  week  an  old  Indian  judge  came  in  to  tea. 
And  he  used  to  talk  to  me  about  the  East,  the 
wonderful,  beautiful  East.  He  made  me  long 
to  see  it  all — I  who  had  never  been  anywhere. 
I've  always  loved  history  and  books  of  travel 
more  than  anything  else.  There  are  a  lot  of 
them  there  in  my  box — that's  what  makes  it  so 
heavy — all  about  the  beautiful  places  I  was  go- 
ing to  see  later  on  with  the  money  Miss  Wick- 
ham  promised  me "  her  glance  took  in  the 

mean  little  room  in  all  its  unrelieved  ugli- 
ness. "  Oh,  why  did  you  make  me  think  of 
it  all?  " 

She  bowed  her  head  on  the  table  for  a  mo- 
ment. Taylor  laid  his  hand  gently  on  her  arm. 

"  The  past  is  dead  and  gone,  my  girl.  We've 
got  the  future;  it's  ours." 

She  gently  disengaged  herself  from  his  de- 
taining hand  and  went  over  to  the  little  window, 


198          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

looking  out  with  eyes  that  saw  other  pictures 
than  the  window  had  to  show. 

"  One  never  knows  when  one's  well  off,  does 
one?  It's  madness  to  think  of  what's  gone 
forever. ' ' 

For  several  minutes  there  was  silence,  during 
which  Nora  recovered  her  self-control.  Having 
wiped  away  her  tears,  she  turned  back  to  him, 
smiling  bravely.  "  I  beg  your  pardon.  You'll 
think  me  more  foolish  than  I  really  am.  I'm 
not  the  crying  sort,  I  assure  you.  But  I  don 't 
know,  it  all— 

"  That's  all  right,  I  know  you're  not,"  he 
said  roughly.  "  I  wish  we'd  got  a  good  drop 
of  liquor  here,"  he  went  on  with  the  evident 
intention  of  changing  the  current  of  her 
thoughts,  "  so  as  we  could  drink  one  another's 
health.  But  as  we  ain't,  you'd  better  give  me 
a  kiss  instead." 

"I'm  not  at  all  fond  of  kissing,"  said  Nora 
coolly. 

Frank  grinned  at  her,  his  pipe  stuck  between 
his  white  teeth. 

"  It  ain't,  generally  speaking,  an  acquired 
taste.  I  guess  you  must  be  peculiar." 

"  It  looks  like  it,"  she  said  lightly. 

"  Come,  my  girl,"  he  said,  getting  slowly  up 
from  his  stool,  "  you  didn't  even  kiss  me  after 
we  was  married." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          199 

"  Isn't  a  hint  enough  for  you?  " — her  tone 
was  perfectly  friendly.  "  Why  do  you  insist 
on  my  saying  everything  in  so  many  words! 
Why  make  me  dot  my  i's  and  cross  my  t's,  so 
to  speak?  " 

"  It  seems  to  me  it  wants  a  few  words  to 
make  it  plain  when  a  woman  refuses  to  give 
her  husband  a  kiss. ' ' 

"  Do  sit  down,  there's  a  good  fellow,  and  I'll 
tell  you  one  or  two  things. ' ' 

*  '  That 's  terribly  kind  of  you, ' '  he  said,  sink- 
ing into  the  rocker.  "  Have  you  any  choice  of 
seats?  " 

"  Not  now,  since  you've  taken  the  only  one 
that's  tolerably  comfortable.  I  think  there's 
nothing  to  choose  between  the  others." 

"  Nothing,  I  should  say." 

11  I  think  we'd  better  fix  things  up  before  we 
go  any  further,"  she  said,  resuming  her  stool. 

"  Sure." 

"  You  gave  me  to  understand  very  plainly 
that  you  wanted  a  wife  in  order  to  get  a  general 
servant  without  having  to  pay  her  wages. 
Wages  are  high,  here  in  Canada." 

"  That  was  the  way  you  put  it." 

"  Batching  isn't  very  comfortable,  you'll  con- 
fess that?  " 

"I'll  confess  that,  all  right." 

11  You  wanted  someone  to  cook  and  bake  for 


200         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

you,  wash,  sweep  and  mend.  I  offered  to  come 
and  do  all  that  for  you.  It  never  entered  my 
head  for  an  instant  that  there  was  any  possi- 
bility of  your  expecting  anything  else  of  me." 

"  Then  you're  a  damned  fool,  my  girl." 

He  was  perfectly  good-natured.  She  would 
have  preferred  him  to  be  a  little  angry.  She 
would  know  how  to  cope  with  that,  she  thought. 
But  she  flared  up  a  little  herself. 

"  D'you  mind  not  saying  things  like  that  to 
me?" 

His  smile  widened.  "  I  guess  I'll  have  to  say 
a  good  many  things  like  that — or  worse — before 
we've  done." 

"  I  asked  you  to  marry  me  only  because  I 
couldn  't  stay  in  the  shack  otherwise. ' ' 

"  You  asked  me  to  marry  you  because  you 
was  in  the  hell  of  a  temper,"  he  retorted. 
' '  You  were  mad  clean  through.  You  wanted  to 
get  away  from  Ed's  farm  right  then  and  there 
and  you  didn't  care  what  you  did  so  long  as 
you  quit.  But  you  was  darned  sorry  for  what 
you'd  done  by  the  time  you'd  got  your  trunk 
packed." 

"  I  don't  know  that  you  have  any  reason  for 
thinking  that, ' '  she  said  stiffly. 

"  I've  got  sense.  Besides,  when  you  opened 
the  door  when  I  went  up  and  knocked,  you  was 
as  white  as  a  sheet.  You'd  have  given  any- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          201 

thing  you  had  to  say  you'd  changed  your  mind, 
but  your  damned  pride  wouldn't  let  you." 

"  I  wouldn't  have  stayed  longer  in  that  house 
for  anything  in  the  world,"  said  Nora  with 
passion. 

"  There  you  are;  that's  just  what  I  have  been 
telling  you, ' '  he  said,  nodding  his  head.  ' '  And 
this  morning,  when  I  came  for  you  at  the  Y.  W. 
C.  A.,  you  wanted  bad  to  say  you  wouldn't 
marry  me.  When  you  shook  hands  with  me 
your  hand  was  like  ice.  You  tried  to  speak  the 
words,  but  they  wouldn't  come." 

"  After  all,  one  isn't  married  every  day  of 
one's  life,  is  one?  I  admit  I  was  nervous  for 
the  moment. ' ' 

"  If  I  hadn't  shown  you  the  license  and  the 
ring,  I  guess  you  wouldn't  have  done  it.  You 
hadn't  the  nerve  to  back  out  of  it  then." 

"  I  hadn't  slept  a  wink  all  night.  I  kept  on 
turning  it  over  in  my  mind.  I  was  frightened  at 
what  I'd  done.  I  didn't  know  a  soul  in  Win- 
nipeg. I  hadn't  anywhere  to  go.  I  had  four 
dollars  in  my  pocket.  I  had  to  go  on  with  it. ' ' 

11  Well,  you  took  pretty  good  stock  of  me  in 
the  train  on  the  way  here,  I  guess, ' '  he  laughed, 
pacing  up  and  down  the  room. 

"  What  makes  you  think  so?  "  asked  Nora, 
who  had  recovered  her  coolness. 

"  Well,  I  felt  you  was  looking  at  me  a  good 


202         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

deal  while  I  was  asleep,"  he  jeered.  "  It 
wasn't  hard  to  see  that  you  was  turning  me 
over  in  your  mind.  What  conclusion  did  you 
come  to?  " 

Nora  evaded  the  question  for  the  moment. 

"  You  see,  I  lived  all  these  years  with  an 
old  lady.  I  know  very  little  about  men. ' ' 

"  I  guessed  that." 

11  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  you  were  a 
decent  fellow  and  I  thought  you  would  be  kind 
tome." 

4  *  Bouquets  are  just  flying  round !  Have  you 
got  anything  more  to  say  to  me!  "  he  asked, 
seating  himself  once  more  in  his  chair. 

11  No,  I  think  not." 

"  Then  just  get  me  my  tobacco  pouch,  will 
you!  I  guess  you'll  find  it  in  the  pocket  of  my 
coat." 

With  narrowed  eyes,  he  watched  her  first  hesi- 
tate, and  then  bring  it  to  him. 

"  Here  you  are."    Her  tone  was  crisp. 

"  I  thought  you  was  going  to  tell  me  I  could 
darned  well  get  it  myself,"  he  laughed. 

' '  I  don 't  very  much  like  to  be  ordered  about, ' ' 
she  said  smoothly;  "  I  didn't  realize  it  was  one 
of  your  bad  habits." 

"  You  never  paid  much  attention  to  me  or 
my  habits  till  to-day,  I  reckon." 

"  I  was  always  polite  to  you." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          203 

"  Oh,  very!  But  I  was  the  hired  man,  and 
you'd  never  let  me  forget  it.  You  thought  your- 
self a  darned  sight  better  than  me,  because  you 
could  play  the  piano  and  speak  French.  But 
we  ain't  got  a  piano  and  there  ain't  anyone  as 
speaks  French  nearer  than  Winnipeg." 

11  I  don't  just  see  what  you're  driving  at." 

"  Parlor  tricks  ain't  much  good  on  the 
prairie.  They're  like  dollar  bills  up  in  Hudson 
Bay  country.  Tobacco's  the  only  thing  you  can 
trade  with  an  Esquimaux.  You  can't  cook  very 
well,  you  don't  know  how  to  milk  a  cow;  why, 
you  can't  even  harness  a  horse." 

"  Are  you  regretting  your  bargain  already?  ' 

"  No,"  he  said,  going  over  to  the  shelf  in 
search  of  the  matches,  "  I  guess  I  can  teach, 
you.  But  if  I  was  you  ' ' — he  paused,  the  lighted 
match  in  his  fingers,  to  look  at  her — "  I 
wouldn't  put  on  any  airs.  We'll  get  on  0.  K., 
I  guess,  when  we've  shaken  down." 

"  You'll  find  I  am  perfectly  capable  of  taking 
care  of  myself,"  she  said  with  emphasis,  speak- 
ing each  word  slowly.  She  returned  his  steady 
gaze  and  felt  a  thrill  of  victory  when  he  looked 
away. 

"  When  two  people  live  in  a  shack,"  he  went 
on  as  if  she  had  not  spoken,  "  there's  got  to  be 
a  deal  of  give  and  take  on  both  sides.  As  long 
as  you  do  what  I  tell  you  you'll  be  all  right." 


204          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

A  sort  of  an  angry  smile  crossed  Nora's  face. 

"  It 's  unfortunate  that  when  anyone  tells  me 
to  do  a  thing,  I  have  an  irresistible  desire  not 
to  do  it." 

"  I  guess  I  tumbled  to  that.  You  must  get 
over  it." 

"  You've  spoken  to  me  once  or  twice  in  a 
way  I  don't  like.  I  think  we  shall  get  on  better 
if  you  ask  me  to  do  things. ' ' 

11  Don't  forget  that  I  can  make  you  do  them," 
he  said  brutally. 

11  How?  "    Really,  he  was  amusing! 

"  Well,  I'm  stronger  than  you  are." 

' '  A  man  can  hardly  use  force  in  his  dealings 
with  a  woman,"  she  reminded  him. 

"  0-o-o-oh?  " 

11  You  seem  surprised." 

"  What's  going  to  prevent  him?  ' 

"  Don't  be  so  silly,"  she  retorted  as  she 
turned  to  look  once  more  out  of  the  window. 
But  her  hands  were  clammy  and,  somehow, 
even  though  her  back  was  turned  toward  him, 
she  knew  that  he  was  smiling. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

How  much  time  elapsed  before  he  spoke  she 
had  no  means  of  knowing;  probably,  at  most, 
two  or  three  minutes.  But  to  the  woman  gazing 
out  blindly  through  the  cobweb-covered  window 
into  the  night,  it  might  well  have  been  hours. 
For  some  illogical  reason,  which  she  could  not 
have  explained  to  herself,  she  had  the  feeling 
that  the  victory  in  the  coming  struggle  would 
lie  with  the  one  who  kept  silent  the  longer.  To 
break  the  nerve-wrecking  spell  would  be  a  be- 
trayal of  weakness. 

None  the  less,  she  had  arrived  at  the  point 
when,  the  tension  on  her  own  nerves  becoming 
too  great,  she  felt  she  must  scream,  drive  her 
clenched  hand  through  the  glass  of  the  window, 
or  perform  some  other  act  of  hysterical  vio- 
lence; then  he  spoke,  and  in  the  ordinary  tone 
of  daily  life. 

11  Well,  I'm  going  to  unpack  my  grip." 

The  tone,  together  with  the  commonplace 
words,  had  the  effect  of  a  cold  douche.  She 
drew  a  sharp  breath  of  relief,  her  hands  un- 
clenched. She  was  herself  once  more.  She'd 
won. 

205 


20G          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

She  turned  slowly,  as  if  reluctant  to  abandon 
the  starry  prospect  without,  to  find  him  bend- 
ing over  a  clutter  of  things  scattered  about  his 
half-emptied  case.  She  had  been  about  to  say 
that  she  must  see  to  unpacking  some  of  her 
own  things. 

"  Wash  up  them  things."  He  jerked  his 
bowed  head  toward  the  littered  table. 

For  the  first  time,  his  tone  was  curt. 

But  she  was  too  much  mistress  of  herself 
and  the  situation  now  to  be  more  than  faintly 
annoyed  by  it. 

"  I'll  wash  them  up  in  the  morning,"  she  said 
casually.  She  started  toward  the  door  behind 
which  her  box  had  been  carried. 

"  Wash  'em  up  now,  my  girl.  You'll  find  the 
only  way  to  keep  things  clean  is  to  wash  'em 
the  moment  you've  done  with  'em." 

She  smiled  at  him  over  her  shoulder,  her 
hand  on  the  knob  of  the  door.  But  she  did  not 
move. 

"  Did  you  hear  what  I  said!  ' 

"  I  did." 

"  Then  why  don't  you  do  as  I  tell  you?  " 

"  Because  I  don't  choose  to." 

"  You  ain't  taking  long  to  try  it  out,  are 
you?  '  His  face  wore  an  ugly  sneer. 

"  They  say  there's  no  time  like  the  present." 

"  Are  you  going  to  wash  up  them  things?  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          207 

"  No." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence  while  he  held 
her  eyes  with  his.  Then,  very  slowly  and  delib- 
erately he  got  up,  poured  some  boiling  water 
into  a  pan  and  placed  it,  together  with  a  ragged 
dishcloth,  on  the  table. 

' '  Are  you  going  to  wash  up  them  things  I  ' ' 

"No." 

She  was  still  cool  and  smiling :  only,  her  grip 
on  the  knob  of  the  door  had  tightened  until  the 
nails  of  her  fingers  were  white. 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  make  you?  " 

"  How  can  you  do  that?  " 

"  I'll  soon  show  you." 

She  waited  the  fraction  of  a  moment. 

"  I'll  just  get  out  those  rugs,  shall  I?  I 
think  the  holdall  was  put  in  here.  I  expect  it 
gets  very  cold  toward  morning." 

She  had  opened  the  door  now  and  stepped 
across  the  threshold.  Her  face  was  still  turned 
toward  his,  but  her  smile  was  a  little  fixed. 

"  Nora." 

"Yes." 

"  Come  here." 

"Why?  " 

"  Because  I  tell  you  to." 

Still,  she  did  not  move.  In  two  strides  he 
was  over  at  her  side.  He  stretched  out  his 
hand  to  seize  her  by  the  wrist. 


208          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

"  You  daren't  touch  me!  ': 

She  pulled  the  door  to  sharply  and  stood  with 
her  back  against  it,  facing  him.  Her  face  was 
as  white  as  a  linen  mask,  and  about  as  expres- 
sionless. Only  her  eyes  lived.  Anger  and  fear 
had  enlarged  the  pupils  until  they  seemed  black 
in  the  dead  white  of  her  face. 

"  You  daren't!  "  she  repeated. 

"  I  daren't:  who  told  you  that!  " 

"  Have  you  forgotten  that  I'm  a  woman?  ' 

"  No,  I  haven't.  That's  why  I'm  going  to 
make  you  do  as  I  tell  you.  If  you  were  a  man, 
I  mightn't  be  able  to.  Come,  now." 

He  made  a  movement  to  take  her  by  the  arm, 
but  she  was  too  quick  for  him.  With  the  quick- 
ness of  a  cat,  she  slipped  aside.  The  next  mo- 
ment, to  his  astonishment,  he  felt  a  stinging 
blow  on  the  ear.  He  stared  at  her  dumb- 
founded. It  is  safe  to  hazard  that  never  in  his 
life  had  he  been  so  utterly  taken  aback. 

She  met  his  stare  without  lowering  her 
glance.  But  she  was  panting  now  as  if  she  had 
been  running,  one  clenched  hand  pressed  against 
her  heaving  breast. 

He  gave  a  short  laugh,  half  of  amused  ad- 
miration at  her  daring,  and  half  of  anger. 

* '  That  was  a  darned  silly  thing  to  do !  ' : 

"  What  did  you  expect?  " 

"  I  expected  that  you  were  cleverer  than  to 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          209 

hit  me.  You  ought  to  know  that  when  it  comes 
to — to  muscle,  I  guess  I've  got  the  bulge  on 
you. ' ' 

"  I'm  not  frightened  of  you." 

It  was  a  stupid  thing  to  say.  Nora  realized 
it  too  late.  If  she  had  only  been  able  to  hold 
her  tongue,  he  might  have  relented,  she  thought. 
But  at  her  words,  his  face  hardened  once  more 
and  the  same  steely  glitter  came  into  his  eyes. 
"  Now  come  and  wash  up  these  things." 

"  I  won't,  I  tell  you!  " 

"  Come  on." 

Quickly  grasping  her  by  the  wrists,  he  began 
to  drag  her  slowly  but  steadily  to  the  table. 
Earlier  in  the  evening  she  had  boasted  that  she 
was  as  strong  as  a  horse.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
she  had  unusual  strength  for  a  woman.  But 
she  was  quickly  made  to  realize  that  her 
strength,  even  intensified  as  it  was  by  her  anger 
was,  of  course,  nothing  compared  with  his. 
Strain  and  resist  as  she  might,  she  could  neither 
release  herself  from  his  grasp  nor  prevent  him 
from  forcing  her  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  table 
which  was  his  goal.  In  the  struggle  one  of 
the  large  shell  hair  pins  which  she  wore  fell 
to  the  floor.  In  another  second  she  heard 
it  ground  to  pieces  under  his  heel.  A  long 
strand  of  hair  came  billowing  down  below 
her  waist. 


210          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Another  moment,  and  by  making  a  long  arm, 
he  could  reach  the  table.  With  a  quick  move- 
ment for  which  she  was  unprepared,  he  brought 
her  two  hands  sharply  together  so  that  he  could 
hold  both  of  her  wrists  with  one  hand,  leaving 
the  other  free. 

* '  Let  me  go,  let  me  go !  ' : 

She  kicked  him,  first  on  one  shin  and  then 
on  the  other.  But  their  bodies  were  too  close 
together  for  the  blows  to  have  any  force. 

"  Come  on  now,  my  girl.  What's  the  good 
of  making  a  darned  fuss  about  it."  His  laugh 
was  boyish  in  its  exultant  good-nature. 

"  You  brute,  how  dare  you  touch  me! 
You'll  never  force  me  to  do  anything.  Let  go! 
Let  go !  Let  go !  " 

And  now,  his  free  hand  held  fast  the  edge  of 
the  table.  With  a  quick  movement  she  bent 
down  and  fastened  her  teeth  in  the  skin  of  the 
back  of  his  hand.  With  an  exclamation  of  pain, 
he  released  her,  carrying  his  wounded  hand  in- 
stinctively to  his  mouth. 

"  Gee,  what  sharp  teeth  you've  got!  " 

1 l  You  cad !  you  cad !  ' '  she  panted. 

"  I  never  thought  you'd  bite,"  he  said,  look- 
ing at  his  bleeding  hand  ruefully.  "  That  ain't 
much  like  a  lady,  according  to  my  idea." 

"  You  filthy  cad!    To  hit  a  woman!  " 

"  Gee,  I  didn't  hit  you.     You  smacked  my 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          211 

face  and  kicked  my  shins,  and  you  bit  my  hand. 
And  now  you  say  I  hit  you." 

He  picked  up  his  pipe  from  the  table  and 
mechanically  rammed  the  tobacco  down  with 
his  thumb  and  looked  about  for  a  match. 

"  You  beast!    I  hate  you!" 

In  the  height  of  her  passion  she  unconsciously 
began  twisting  up  the  loosened  strand  of  her 
hair. 

11  I  don't  care  about  that,  so  long  as  you  wash 
them  cups." 

With  a  furious  gesture  she  swept  the  table 
clean. 

"  Look!  "  she  screamed,  as  cups,  saucers, 
plates  and  teapot  broke  into  a  thousand  pieces 
at  his  feet. 

There  came  another  little  sound  of  something 
breaking,  like  a  faint  echo  far  away.  It  was 
his  pipe  which  had  fallen  among  the  wreckage. 
In  his  astonishment  at  her  sudden  action,  he 
had  bitten  through  the  mouthpiece. 

"  That's  a  pity;  we're  terribly  short  of  crock- 
ery. We  shall  have  to  drink  our  tea  out  of 
cans  now,"  was  all  he  said. 

"  I  said  I  wouldn't  wash  them,  and  I  haven't 
washed  them,"  Nora  exulted. 

"  They  don't  need  it  now,  I  guess,"  he  said 
humorously. 

''I  think  I've  won!  " 


212          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Sure,"  he  said  without  the  slightest  trace 
of  rancor.  "  Now  take  the  broom  and  sweep 
up  all  the  darned  mess  you've  made." 

"  I  won't!  " 

1 '  Look  here,  my  girl, ' '  he  said  threateningly, 
"  I  guess  I've  had  about  enough  of  your  non- 
sense: you  do  as  you're  told  and  look  sharp 
about  it." 

*  *  You  can  kill  me,  if  you  like !  ' ' 

"  What  would  be  the  good  of  that?  Women, 
as  you  reminded  me  a  little  while  back,  are 
scarce  in  Manitoba." 

He  gave  a  searching  look  around  the  room 
and  spying  the  broom  in  the  corner,  went  over 
and  fetched  it. 

"  Here's  the  broom." 

"  If  you  want  that  mess  swept  up,  you  can 
sweep  it  up  yourself." 

* '  Look  here,  you  make  me  tired !  ' ' 

His  tone  suggested  that  he  was  becoming 
more  irritated.  But  Nora  was  beyond  caring. 
As  he  put  the  broom  in  her  hand,  she  flung  it 
from  her  as  far  as  she  could.  "  Look  here," 
he  said  again,  and  this  time  there  was  no  mis- 
taking the  menace  in  his  voice,  "  if  you  don't 
clean  up  that  mess  at  once,  I'll  give  you  the 
biggest  hiding  you  ever  had  in  your  life,  I 
promise  you  that." 

"  You?  "  she  jeered. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          213 

"  Yours  truly,"  he  said,  nodding  his  head. 
"  I've  done  with  larking  now."  He  began 
rolling  up  the  sleeves  of  his  sweater.  For  some 
obscure  reason — possibly  because  his  delibera- 
tion seemed  to  connote  implacability — this  sim- 
ple action  filled  her  with  a  terror  that  she  had 
not  known  before  even  in  the  midst  of  their 
physical  struggle. 

* l  Help !    Help  I    Help !  ' '  she  screamed. 

She  rushed  across  the  room  and  threw  open 
the  door,  sending  her  agonized  appeal  out  into 
the  night. 

"Help!    Help!    Help!" 

She  strained  her  ears  for  any  sign  of  re- 
sponse. 

"  What's  the  good  of  that?  There's  no  one 
within  a  mile  of  us.  Listen." 

It  is  doubtful  if  she  heard  his  words.  If  she 
had,  it  would  have  mattered  but  little.  The 
answering  silence  which  engulfed  her  like  a 
wave  told  her  that  she  was  lost.  She  bowed 
her  head  in  her  hands.  Her  whole  slender  body 
was  wrecked  with  hard,  dry  sobs.  When  she 
lifted  her  head,  he  read  in  her  eyes  the  anguish 
of  the  conquered.  Nevertheless,  she  made  one 
last  stand. 

"  If  you  so  much  as  touch  me,  I'll  have  you 
up  for  cruelty.  There  are  laws  to  protect  me. ' ' 

"  I  don't  care  a  curse  for  the  laws,"  he 


214          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

laughed.  "  I  know  I'm  going  to  be  master 
here.  And  if  I  tell  you  to  do  a  thing,  you've 
darned  well  got  to  do  it,  because  I  can  make 
you.  Now  stop  this  fooling.  Pick  up  that 
crockery  and  get  the  broom." 

11  I  won't!  " 

He  made  one  stride  toward  her. 

"  No,  don't.    Don't  hurt  me!  "  she  shrieked. 

"  I  guess  there's  only  one  law  here,"  he  said. 
"  And  that's  the  law  of  the  strongest.  I  don't 
know  nothing  about  cities;  perhaps  men  and 
women  are  equal  there.  But  on  the  prairie,  a 
man's  the  master  because  he's  bigger  and 
stronger  than  a  woman. ' ' 

"  Frank!  " 

"  Damn  you,  don't  talk." 

She  did  not  move.  Her  eyes  were  on  the 
ground.  Pride  and  Fear  were  having  their  last 
struggle,  and  Fear  conquered.  Without  look- 
ing at  her  husband  she  could  feel  that  his  pa- 
tience was  nearing  an  end.  Very  slowly  she 
stooped  down  and  picked  up  the  teapot  and 
the  broken  cups  and  saucers  and  laid  them  on 
the  table.  Blindly  she  tottered  over  to  the 
rocking-chair  and  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears. 

"  And  I  thought  I  knew  what  it  was  to  be 
unhappy!  " 

He  watched  her  with  a  slight,  but  not  un- 
kindly, smile  on  his  face. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          215 

11  Come  on,  my  girl,"  he  said,  without  any 
trace  of  anger,  "  don't  shirk  the  rest  of  it." 

Through  her  laced  fingers,  she  looked  at  the 
mess  of  spilled  tea  on  the  floor.  Keeping  her 
tear-marred  face  turned  away  from  him,  she 
slowly  got  up,  and  slowly  found  the  broom  and 
swept  it  all  into  a  little  heap  on  the  newspaper 
that  lay  where  he  had  left  it. 

Suddenly  she  threw  back  her  head.  Her  eyes 
shone  with  a  new  resolution.  He  watched  her, 
wondering.  With  a  quick,  firm  step,  she  carried 
the  rolled-up  paper  to  the  stove  and  shoved  it 
far  into  the  glowing  embers.  Gathering  up  the 
crockery,  after  a  glance  around  the  room  in 
search  of  some  receptacle  which  her  eye  did  not 
find,  she  carried  it  over  to  the  wood-pile,  laying 
it  upon  the  logs.  The  broom  was  restored  to 
its  corner.  She  took  up  her  hat  and  coat  and 
began  to  put  them  on. 

11  What  are  you  doing?  " 

"  I've  done  what  you  made  me  do,  now  I'm 
going." 

"  Where,  if  I  might  ask?  " 

"  What  do  I  care,  as  long  as  I  get  away." 

"  You  ain't  under  the  impression  that  there's 
a  first-class  hotel  round  the  corner,  are  you! 
There  ain't." 

"  I  can  go  to  the  Sharps." 

"  I  guess  they're  in  bed  and  asleep  by  now." 


216          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"I'll  wake  them." 

1 '  You  'd  never  find  your  way.  It 's  pitch  dark. 
Look." 

He  threw  open  the  door.  It  was  true.  The 
sky  had  clouded  over.  The  feeling  of  the  air 
had  changed.  It  smelt  of  storm. 

"  I'll  sleep  out  of  doors,  then." 

"  On  the  prairie?  Why,  you'd  freeze  to 
death  before  morning." 

"  What  does  it  matter  to  you  whether  I  live 
or  die?  ' 

11  It  matters  a  great  deal.  Once  more,  let  me 
remind  you  that  women  are  scarce  in  Mani- 
toba." 

"  Are  you  going  to  keep  me  from  going?  ' 

"  Sure." 

He  closed  the  door  and  placed  his  back 
against  it. 

"  You  can't  keep  me  here  against  my 
will.  If  I  don't  go  to-night,  I  can  go  to- 
morrow." 

"  To-morrow's  a  long,  long  way  off." 

Her  hand  flew  to  her  throat. 

"  Frank!    What  do  you  mean?  ' 

"  I  don't  know  what  silly  fancies  you've  had 
in  your  head;  but  when  I  married  you  I 
intended  that  you  should  be  a  proper  wife 
to  me." 

"  But — but — but  you  understood." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          217 

It  was  all  she  could  do  to  force  the  words 
from  her  dry  throat.  With  a  desperate  effort 
she  pulled  herself  together  and  tried  to  talk 
calmly  and  reasonably. 

"I'm  sorry  for  the  way  I've  behaved,  Frank. 
It  was  silly  and  childish  of  me  to  struggle  with 
you.  You  irritated  me,  you  see,  by  the  way  you 
spoke  and  the  tone  you  took." 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mind.  I  don't  know  much  about 
women  and  I  guess  they're  queer.  We  had  to 
fix  things  up  sometime  and  I  guess  there's  no 
harm  in  getting  it  over  right  now." 

"  You've  beaten  me  all, along  the  line  and  I'm 
in  your  power.  Have  mercy  on  me !  ' ' 

"  I  guess  you  won't  have  much  cause  to  com- 
plain. ' ' 

"  I  married  you  in  a  fit  of  temper.  It  was 
very  stupid  of  me.  I'm  very  sorry  that  I — that 
I've  been  all  this  trouble  to  you.  Won't  you 
let  me  go?  " 

"  No,  I  can't  do  that." 

"  I'm  no  good  to  you.  You've  told  me  that 
I'm  useless.  I  can't  do  any  of  the  things  that 
you  want  a  wife  to  do.  Oh,"  she  ended  pas- 
sionately, "  you  can't  be  so  hard-hearted  as  to 
make  me  pay  with  all  my  whole  life  for  one 
moment's  madness!  " 

"  What  good  will  it  do  you  if  I  let  you  go? 
Will  you  go  to  Gertie  and  beg  her  to  take  you 


218          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

back  again?  You've  got  too  much  pride  for 
that." 

She  made  a  gesture  of  abnegation:  "  I  don't 
think  I've  got  much  pride  left." 

11  Don't  you  think  you'd  better  give  it  a 
try?  " 

Once  more  hope  wakened  in  Nora's  heart. 
His  tone  was  so  reasonable.  If  she  kept  her 
self-control,  she  might  yet  win.  She  sat  down 
on  one  of  the  stools  and  spoke  in  a  tone  that 
was  almost  conversational. 

"  All  this  life  is  so  strange  to  me.  Back  in 
England,  they  think  it's  so  different  from  what 
it  really  is.  I  thought  I  should  have  a  horse 
to  ride,  that  there  would  be  dances  and  parties. 
And  when  I  came  out,  I  was  so  out  of  it  all. 
I  felt  in  the  way.  And  yesterday  Gertie  drove 
me  frantic  so  that  I  felt  I  couldn't  stay  a  mo- 
ment longer  in  that  house.  I  acted  on  impulse. 
I  didn  't  know  what  I  was  doing.  I  made  a  mis- 
take. You  can't  have  the  heart  to  take  advan- 
tage of  it." 

' '  I  knew  you  was  making  a  mistake,  but  that 
was  your  lookout.  When  I  sell  a  man  a  horse, 
he  can  look  it  over  for  himself.  I  ain't  obliged 
to  tell  him  its  faults." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  after  I've  begged 
you  almost  on  my  knees  to  let  me  go,  you'll 
force  me  to  stay?  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          219 

"  That's  what  I  mean." 

*  *  Oh,  why  did  I  ever  trap  myself  so !  ' 

"  Come,  my  girl,  let's  let  bygones  be  by- 
gones, ' '  he  said  good-humoredly.  ' '  Come,  give 
me  a  kiss." 

She  tried  a  new  tack. 

"I'm  not  in  love  with  you,"  she  said  in  a 
matter-of-fact  voice. 

"  I  guessed  that." 

"  And  you're  not  in  love  with  me." 

"  You're  a  woman  and  I'm  a  man." 

"Do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  in  so  many 
words  that  you're  physically  repellent  to  me? 
That  the  thought  of  letting  you  kiss  me  horri- 
fies and  disgusts  me  f  '  In  spite  of  her  resolu- 
tion, her  voice  was  rising. 

"  Thank  you."    He  was  still  good-humored. 

"  Look  at  your  hands;  it  gives  me  goose- 
flesh  when  you  touch  me. ' ' 

"  Cuttin'  down  trees,  diggin',  lookin'  after 
horses  don't  leave  them  very  white  and 
smooth." 

'  *  Let  me  go !    Let  me  go !  " 

He  took  a  step  away  from  the  door.  His 
whole  manner  changed. 

"  See  here,  my  girl.  You  was  educated  like 
a  lady  and  spent  your  life  doin'  nothing.  Oh, 
I  forgot:  you  was  a  lady's  companion,  wasn't 
you?  And  you  look  on  yourself  as  a  darned 


220          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

sight  better  than  me.  I  never  had  no  school- 
ing. It's  a  hell  of  a  job  for  me  to  write  a  letter. 
But  since  I  was  so  high  "  —his  hand  measured 
a  distance  of  about  three  feet  from  the  floor — 
"  I've  earned  my  living.  I  guess  I've  been  all 
over  this  country.  I've  been  a  trapper,  I've 
worked  on  the  railroad  and  for  two  years  I've 
been  a  freighter.  I  guess  I've  done  pretty 
nearly  everything  but  clerk  in  a  store.  Now 
you  just  get  busy  and  forget  all  the  nonsense 
you've  got  in  your  head.  You're  nothing  but 
an  ignorant  woman  and  I'm  your  master.  I'm 
goin'  to  do  what  I  like  with  you.  And  if  you 
don't  submit  willingly,  by  God  I'll  take  you  as 
the  trappers,  in  the  old  days,  used  to  take  the 
squaws." 

For  the  last  moment  Nora  could  hardly  have 
been  said  to  have  listened.  In  a  delirium  of 
terror  her  eyes  swept  the  little  cabin,  searching 
desperately  for  some  means  of  escape.  As  he 
made  a  step  toward  her,  her  roving  eye  sud- 
denly fell  on  her  husband's  gun,  standing  where 
Sharp  had  left  it  when  he  brought  it  in.  "With 
a  bound,  she  was  across  the  room,  the  gun  at 
her  shoulder.  "With  an  oath,  Frank  started 
forward. 

"  If  you  move,  I'll  kill  you!  ' 

"  You  daren't!  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          221 

"  Unless  you  open  that  door  and  let  me  go, 
I'll  shoot  you— I'll  shoot  you!  " 

"  Shoot,  then!  "  He  held  his  arms  wide,  ex- 
posing his  broad  chest. 

With  a  sobbing  cry,  she  pulled  the  trigger. 
The  click  of  the  falling  hammer  was  heard, 
nothing  more. 

*  *  Gee  whiz !  ' '  shouted  Taylor  in  admiration. 
1 '  Why,  you  meant  it !  " 

The  gun  fell  clattering  to  the  floor. 

"  It  wasn't  loaded?  " 

"  Of  course  it  wasn't  loaded.  D'you  think 
I'd  have  stood  there  and  told  you  to  shoot  if 
it  had  been?  I  guess  I  ain't  thinking  of  com- 
mittin'  suicide." 

"  And  I  almost  admired  you!  ); 

"  You  hadn't  got  no  reason  to.  There's 
nothing  to  admire  about  a  man  who  stands  five 
feet  off  a  loaded  gun  that's  being  aimed  at  him. 
He'd  be  a  darned  fool,  that's  all." 

"  You  were  laughing  at  me  all  the  time." 

"  You'd  have  had  me  dead  as  mutton  if  that 
gun  'ud  been  loaded.  You're  a  sport,  all  right, 
all  right.  I  never  thought  you  had  it  in  you. 
You're  the  girl  for  me,  I  guess!  >: 

As  she  stood  there,  dazed,  perfectly  unpre- 
pared, he  threw  his  arms  around  her  and  at- 
tempted to  kiss  her. 


222 

"  Let  me  alone!  I'll  kill  myself  if  you  touch 
me!  " 

"  I  guess  you  won't."  He  kissed  her  full  on 
the  mouth,  then  let  her  go. 

Sinking  into  a  chair,  she  sobbed  in  helpless, 
angry  despair. 

' '  Oh,  how  shameful,  how  shameful !  ' ' 

He  let  her  alone  for  a  little;  then,  when  the 
violence  of  her  sobbing  had  died  away,  came 
over  and  laid  his  hand  gently  on  her  shoulder. 

' '  Hadn  't  you  better  cave  in,  my  girl  ?  You  Ve 
tried  your  strength  against  mine  and  it  hasn't 
amounted  to  much.  You  even  tried  to  shoot  me 
and  I  only  made  you  look  like  a  darned  fool. 
I  guess  you're  beat,  my  girl.  There's  only  one 
law  here.  That's  the  law  of  the  strongest. 
You've  got  to  do  what  I  want  because  I  can 
make  you." 

"  Haven't  you  any  generosity?  ' 

11  Not  the  kind  you  want,  I  guess." 

She  gave  a  little  moan  of  anguish. 

"  Hark!  "  He  held  up  his  hand  as  if  to  call 
her  attention  to  something.  For  a  moment, 
hope  flamed  from  its  embers.  But  stealing  a 
glance  at  his  face  from  beneath  her  drooping 
lashes,  she  saw  that  she  was  mistaken.  The  last 
spark  died,  to  be  rekindled  no  more. 

"  Listen!  Listen  to  the  silence.  Can't  you 
hear  it,  the  silence  of  the  prairie?  Why,  we 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          223 

might  be  the  only  two  people  in  the  world,  you 
and  me,  here  in  this  little  shack,  right  out  in 
the  prairie.  Are  you  listening?  There  ain't  a 
sound.  It  might  be  the  garden  of  Eden. 
What's  that  about  male  and  female,  created 
He  them?  I  guess  you're  my  wife,  my  girl. 
And  I  want  you. ' ' 

Nora  gave  him  a  sidelong  look  of  terror  and 
remained  dumb.  What  would  have  been  the 
use  of  words  even  if  she  could  have  found  voice 
to  utter  them? 

Taking  up  the  lamp,  he  went  to  the  door  of 
the  bedroom  and  threw  it  wide.  She  saw  with- 
out looking  that  he  remained  standing,  like  a 
statue  of  Fate,  on  the  threshold. 

To  gain  time,  she  picked  up  the  dishcloth 
and  began  to  scrub  at  an  imaginary  spot  on  the 
table. 

"  I  guess  it's  getting  late.  You'll  be  able 
to  have  a  good  clean-out  to-morrow." 

"  To-morrow!  '  A  violent  shudder,  similar 
to  the  convulsion  of  the  day  before,  shook  her 
from  head  to  foot.  But  she  kept  on  with  her 
scrubbing. 

11  Come!  " 

The  word  smote  her  ear  with  all  the  impact 
of  a  cannon  shot.  The  walls  caught  it,  and 
gave  it  back.  There  ivas  no  other  sound  in 
heaven  or  earth  than  the  echo  of  that  word ! 


224          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Shame,  anguish  and  fear,  in  turn,  passed 
over  her  face.  Then,  with  her  hands  before  her 
eyes,  she  passed  beyond  him,  through  the  door 
which  he  still  held  open. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  storm  which  the  night  had  foreshadowed 
broke  with  violence  before  dawn.  At  times 
during  the  night,  the  wind  had  howled  about 
the  little  building  in  a  way  which  recalled  to 
Nora  one  of  the  best-remembered  holidays  of 
her  childhood.  She  and  her  mother  had  gone 
to  Eastborne  for  a  fortnight  with  some  money 
Eddie  had  sent  them  shortly  after  his  arrival 
in  Canada.  The  autumnal  equinox  had  caught 
them  during  the  last  days  of  their  stay,  and 
the  strong  impression  which  the  wind  had  made 
upon  her  childish  mind  had  remained  with  her 
ever  since. 

Lying,  wakeful  through  the  long  hours,  star- 
ing wide-eyed  out  of  the  little  curtainless  win- 
dow into  the  thick  darkness,  thick  enough  to 
seem  palpable;  the  memory  of  how,  on  that 
far-off  day  she  had  passed  long  hours  with 
her  nose  flattened  against  the  window  of  the 
dingy  little  lodging-house  drawing-room  watch- 
ing the  wonder  of  the  wind-lashed  sea,  came 
back  to  her  with  extraordinary  vividness. 

The  spectacle  had  filled  her  with  a  sort  of 
terrified  exultation.  She  had  longed  to  go  out 

225 


226         THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

and  stand  on  the  wind-buffeted  pier  and  take 
her  part  in  this  saturnalia  of  the  elements.  She 
had  something  of  the  same  feeling  now ;  a  long- 
ing to  leave  her  bed  and  go  out  onto  the  wind- 
swept prairie. 

Strangely  enough,  she  had  no  sensation  of 
fatigue  or  weariness  either  bodily  or  mentally. 
Her  mind,  indeed,  seemed  extraordinarily  ac- 
tive. Little  petty  details  of  her  childhood  and 
of  her  life  with  Miss  Wickham,  long  forgotten, 
such  as  the  day  the  gardener  had  cut  his  thumb, 
trooped  through  her  mind  in  an  endless  pro- 
cession. She  had  a  strange  feeling  that  she 
would  never  sleep  again. 

But  just  as  the  blackness  without  seemed 
turning  into  heavy  grayness,  lulled  possibly 
by  the  wind  which  had  moderated  its  violence 
and  had  now  sunk  to  a  moan  not  unpleasant, 
and  by  the  rythmic  breathing  of  the  sleeping 
man  at  her  side,  she  fell  asleep. 

For  several  hours  she  must  have  slept  heav- 
ily, indeed.  For  when  she  awoke,  it  was  to  find 
the  place  at  her  side  empty.  Hurriedly  dress- 
ing herself,  she  went  out  into  the  living-room. 
That  was  empty,  too.  But  the  lamp  was  lighted, 
the  kettle  was  singing  merrily  on  the  stove 
and  the  fire  was  burning  brightly.  And  outside 
was  a  whirling  veil  of  snow  which  made  it  im- 
possible to  see  beyond  the  length  of  one's  arm. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          227 

Had  she  been  marooned  on  an  island  in  the 
ultimate  ocean  of  the  Antartic,  she  could  not 
have  felt  more  cut  off  from  the  world  she  knew. 
Well,  it  was  better  so. 

She  wondered  what  had  become  of  Frank. 
Surely  on  a  day  like  this  there  could  be  nothing 
to  do  outside;  and  even  if  there  were,  nothing 
so  imperative  as  to  take  him  away  before  he 
had  had  his  breakfast.  She  felt  a  little  hurt 
at  his  leaving  without  a  word. 

Evidently,  he  expected  to  return  soon,  how- 
ever. The  table  was  laid  for  two.  She  felt 
her  face  crimson  as  she  saw  that  there  was 
but  one  cup  left.  One  of  them  must  drink  from 
one  of  those  horrible  tin  cans.  She  did  not  ask 
herself  which  one  it  would  be. 

Partly  to  occupy  herself  and  to  take  her 
thoughts  away  from  the  recollection  of  the 
events  of  the  evening  before,  and  partly 
prompted  by  a  desire  to  have  everything  in 
readiness  against  her  husband's  return,  she 
busied  herself  with  the  preparations  for  break- 
fast. 

There  were  some  eggs  and  a  filch  of  bacon 
which  they  had  brought  from  Winnipeg.  She 
would  make  some  toast,  too.  Very  likely  he 
didn't  care  for  it,  they  certainly  never  had  it 
at  Gertie's,  but  in  her  Jwuse She  smiled  to 


228          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

think  how  quickly,  in  her  mind,  she  had  taken 
possession. 

She  was  just  beginning  to  think  that  she  had 
been  foolish  to  start  her  cooking  without  know- 
ing at  all  when  he  was  going  to  return,  when 
she  heard  a  great  stamping  and  scraping  of  feet 
outside,  and  in  another  moment  Frank's  snow- 
covered  figure  darkened  the  doorway. 

"  Getting  on  with  the  breakfast?  That's 
fine!  "  he  called. 

"  It's  quite  ready:  wherever  have  you  been? 
I  wouldn't  have  imagined  that  anyone  could 
find  a  thing  to  do  outside  on  a  day  like 
this." 

"  Oh,  there's  always  something  to  do.  But 
I  just  ran  up  to  the  Sharps'  for  a  minute.  I 
knew  old  mother  Sharp  wouldn't  keep  her 
promise  about  coming  down  to-day.  She's  all 
right,  but  she  does  hate  to  walk." 

"  Well,  I'm  sure  I  wouldn't  blame  anyone  for 
choosing  to  stay  indoors  a  day  like  this.  But 
what  did  you  want  to  see  her  in  such  a  hurry 
for?  " 

11  Oh,  nothin'  particular;  I  sort  of  thought 
maybe  you  wouldn't  mind  having  a  little  milk 
with  your  tea  on  a  gloomy  morning  like  this," 
he  said  shamefacedly. 

"  That  was  awfully  good  of  you;  thank  you 
very  much,"  she  said  with  real  gratitude,  as  she 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          229 

thought  of  him  tramping  those  two  miles  in  the 
blinding  storm. 

"  Do  you  think  we  are  in  for  a  blizzard?  ' 
she  asked  when  they  were  at  the  table.  To 
her  unspeakable  relief,  she  found  that  the  one 
cup  was  intended  for  her;  he  had  waved  her 
toward  the  one  chair,  apparently  the  place  of 
honor,  contenting  himself  with  one  of  the  stools. 

"  N-o-o,"  he  said,  "  I  don't  think  so.  It's 
beginning  to  lighten  up  a  little  already.  And 
besides,  don't  you  remember  that  I  foretold  a 
mildish  winter  I  ' 

"  I  was  forgetting  that  I  had  married  a 
prophet,"  she  smiled. 

But  all  through  the  day  the  snow  continued 
to  fall  steadily,  although  the  wind  had  died 
away  and,  at  intervals,  the  sun  shone  palely. 
At  nightfall,  it  was  still  snowing. 

The  day  passed  quickly,  as  Nora  found  plenty 
to  occupy  herself  with.  By  supper  time  she 
felt  healthfully  tired,  with  the  added  comforta- 
ble feeling  that,  for  a  novice,  she  had  really 
accomplished  a  good  deal. 

The  whole  room  certainly  looked  cleaner  and 
the  pots  and  pans,  although  not  shining,  were 
as  near  to  it  as  hot  water  and  scrubbing  could 
make  them.  Fortunately,  she  had  a  quantity 
of  fresh  white  paper  in  her  trunk  which  greatly 
improved  the  appearance  of  the  shelves. 


230          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

During  the  day  Frank  left  the  house  for 
longer  or  shorter  intervals  on  various  pretexts 
which  she  felt  must  be  largely  imaginary, 
trumped  up  for  the  occasion.  She  was  agree- 
ably surprised  to  find  that  he  was  sufficiently 
tactful  to  divine  that  she  wanted  to  be  alone. 

While  he  was  in  the  house  he  smoked  his  pipe 
incessantly  and  read  some  magazines  which 
she  had  unpacked  with  some  of  her  books.  But 
she  never  glanced  suddenly  in  his  direction 
without  finding  that  he  was  watching  her. 

"  I  tell  you,  this  is  fine,"  he  said  heartily  as 
he  was  lighting  his  after-supper  pipe.  "  Mrs. 
Sharp  won't  hardly  know  the  place  when  she 
comes  over.  She's  never  seen  it  except  when 
I  was  housekeeper.  She  doesn't  think  I'm 
much  good  at  it.  Leastways,  she's  always  tellin' 
Sid  that  if  she  dies,  he  must  marry  again  right 
away  as  soon  as  he  can  find  anyone  to  have 
him,  for  fear  the  house  gets  to  looking  like 
this." 

"  That  doesn't  look  like  a  very  strong  in- 
dorsement," Nora  admitted. 

The  next  day  Nora  woke  to  a  world  of  such 
dazzling  whiteness  that  she  was  blinded  every 
time  she  attempted  to  look  out  on  it. 

"  You  want  to  be  careful,"  her  husband  cau- 
tioned her;  "getting  snow-blinded  isn't  as  much 
fun  as  you'd  think.  Even  I  get  bad  sometimes; 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          231 

and  I'm  used  to  it.  Looks  like  one  of  them 
Christmas  cards,  don't  it?  Somebody  sent 
Gertie  one  once  and  she  showed  it  to  us." 

That  afternoon,  Mr.  Sharp  drove  his  wife 
down  for  the  promised  visit.  As  in  his  judg- 
ment the  two  women  would  want  to  be  alone,  he 
proposed  to  Frank  to  drive  back  home  with  him 
to  give  him  the  benefit  of  his  opinion  on  some 
improvements  he  was  contemplating. 

"  You're  only  wasting  your  time,"  Mrs. 
Sharp  had  remarked  grimly.  ' '  There  ain  't  go- 
ing to  be  anything  done  to  any  of  them  barns 
before  I  get  a  lean-to  on  the  house.  You'd  think 
even  a  man  would  know  that  a  house  that's  all 
right  for  two  gets  a  little  small  for  seven,"  she 
added,  scornfully,  to  Nora. 

* i  Are  there  seven  of  you  ?  ' ' 

"  Me  and  Sid  and  five  little  ones.  If  that 
don't  make  seven,  I've  forgotten  all  the  'rith- 
metic  I  ever  learned,"  said  Mrs.  Sharp  briefly. 
"  And  let  me  tell  you,  you  who 're  just  starting 
in,  that  having  children  out  here  on  the  prairie 
half  the  time  with  no  proper  care,  and  par- 
ticularly in  winter,  when  maybe  you're  snowed 
up  and  the  doctor  can't  get  to  you,  ain't  my 
idea  of  a  bank  holiday. ' ' 

"  I  shouldn't  think  it  would  be,"  said  Nora, 
sincerely  shocked,  although  she  found  it  difficult 
to  hide  a  smile  at  her  visitor's  comparison; 


232          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

bank  holidays  being  among  her  most  horrid 
recollections. 

Mrs.  Sharp,  despite  a  rather  emphatic  manner 
which  softened  noticeably  as  her  visit  pro- 
gressed, turned  out  to  be  a  stout,  red-faced 
woman  of  middle  age  who  seemed  to  be  troubled 
with  a  chronic  form  of  asthma.  She  was  as 
unmistakably  English  as  her  husband.  But  like 
him,  she  had  lost  much  of  her  native  accent, 
although  occasionally  one  caught  a  faint  trace 
of  the  Cockney.  She  had  two  rather  keen  brown 
eyes  which,  as  she  talked,  took  in  the  room  to 
its  smallest  detail. 

"  Well,  I  declare,  I  think  you've  done  won- 
ders considering  you've  only  had  a  day  and  not 
used  to  work  like  this,"  she  said  heartily. 
"  When  Sid  told  me  that  Frank  was  bring- 
ing home  a  wife  I  said  to  myself:  *  Well,  I 
don't  envy  her  her  job;  comin'  to  a  shack 
that  ain't  been  lived  in  for  nigh  unto  six 
months  and  when  it  was,  with  only  a  man 
runnin'  it.'  : 

"  You  don't  seem  to  have  a  very  high  opinion 
of  men's  ability  in  the  domestic  line,"  said  Nora 
with  a  smile. 

"  I  can  tell  you  just  how  high  it  is,"  said 
Mrs.  Sharp  with  decision.  "  I  would  just  as 
soon  think  of  consultin'  little  Sid — an'  he's 
goin'  on  three — about  the  housekeepin'  as  I 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          233 

would  his  father.  It  ain't  a  man's  work.  Why 
should  he  know  anything  about  it  1  " 

"  Still,"  demurred  Nora,  "  lots  of  men  look 
after  themselves  somehow." 

"  Somehow 's  just  the  word;  they  never  get 
beyond  that.  Of  course  I  knew  Frank  would 
be  sure  to  marry  some  day.  And  with  his  good 
looks  it's  a  wonder  he  didn't  do  so  long  ago. 
Most  girls  is  so  crazy  about  a  good-lookin'  fel- 
low that  they  never  stop  to  think  if  he  has  any- 
thing else  to  him.  Not  that  he  hasn't  lots  of 
good  traits,  I  don't  mean  that.  But,"  she 
added  shrewdly,  "  you  don't  look  like  the  silly 
sort  that  would  be  taken  in  by  good  looks  alone." 

11  No,"  said  Nora  dryly,  "  I  don't  think  I 
am." 

After  that,  until  the  two  men  returned,  they 
talked  of  household  matters,  and  Nora  found 
that  her  new  neighbor  had  a  store  of  useful 
and  practical  suggestions  to  make,  and,  what 
was  even  better,  seemed  glad  to  place  all  her 
experience  at  her  disposal  in  the  kindliest  and 
most  friendly  manner  possible,  entirely  free 
from  any  trace  of  that  patronage  which  had 
so  maddened  her  in  her  sister-in-law. 

"  Now  mind  you,"  called  Mrs.  Sharp,  as  she 
laboriously  climbed  up  to  the  seat  beside  her 
husband  as  they  were  driving  away,  "  if  Frank, 
here,  gets  at  all  upish — and  he's  pretty  certain 


234          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

to,  all  newly  married  men  do — you  come  to  me. 
I'll  settle  him,  never  fear." 

Frank  laughed  a  little  over-loudly  at  this 
parting  shot,  and  Nora  noticed  that  for  some 
time  after  their  guests  had  gone,  he  seemed 
unusually  silent. 

As  for  the  Sharps,  they  also  maintained  an 
unwonted  silence — which  for  Mrs.  Sharp,  at 
least,  was  something  unusual — until  they  had 
arrived  at  their  own  door. 

' '  Well  I  ' '  queried  Sharp,  as  they  were  about 
to  turn  in. 

"  It  beats  me,"  replied  his  wife.  "  Why, 
she's  a  lady.  But  she'll  come  out  all  right," 
she  finished  enigmatically,  "  she's  got  the  right 
stuff  in  her,  poor  dear !  ' : 

In  after  years,  when  Nora  was  able  to  look 
back  on  this  portion  of  her  life  and  see  things 
in  just  perspective,  she  always  felt  that  she 
could  never  be  too  thankful  that  her  days  had 
been  crowded  with  occupation.  Without  that, 
she  must  either  have  gone  actually  insane,  or, 
in  a  frenzy  of  helplessness,  done  some  rash 
thing  which  would  have  marred  her  whole  life 
beyond  repair. 

After  she  found  herself  growing  more  accus- 
tomed to  her  new  life — and,  after  all,  the  grow- 
ing accustomed  to  it  was  the  hardest  part — she 
realized  that  she  was  only  following  the  uni- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          235 

versal  law  of  life  in  paying  for  her  own  rash 
act.  The  thought  that  she  was  paying  with 
interest,  being  overcharged  as  it  were,  was 
but  faint  consolation:  it  only  meant  that 
she  had  been  a  fool.  That  conviction  is  rarely 
soothing. 

Then,  too,  she  gradually  began  to  look  at  the 
situation  from  Frank's  point  of  view.  He  had 
certainly  acted  within  his  rights,  if  with  little 
generosity.  But  she  had  to  acknowledge  to  her- 
self that  the  obligation  to  be  generous  on  his 
part  was  small.  She  could  hardly  be  said  to 
have  treated  him  with  much  liberality  in  the 
past. 

She  had  used  him  without  scruple  as  a  means 
to  an  end.  She  had  made  him  the  instrument 
for  escaping  from  a  predicament  which  she 
found  unbearably  irksome.  That  she  had  done 
so  in  the  heat  of  passion  was  small  palliation. 
For  the  present,  at  least,  she  wisely  resolved 
to  make  the  best  of  things.  It  could  not  last 
forever.  The  day  must  come  when  she  could 
free  herself  from  the  bonds  that  now  held  her. 

It  was  characteristic  of  her  unyielding  pride, 
of  her  reluctance  to  confess  to  defeat,  that  the 
thought  of  appealing  to  her  brother  never  once 
entered  her  head. 

For  this  reason,  it  was  long  before  she  could 
bring  herself  to  write  the  promised  letter  to 


236          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Eddie.  What  was  there  to  say?  The  things 
that  would  have  relieved  her,  in  a  sense,  to  tell, 
must  remain  forever  locked  in  her  own  heart. 
In  the  end,  she  compromised  by  sending  a  letter 
confined  entirely  to  describing  her  new  home. 
As  she  read  it  over,  she  thanked  the  Fates  that 
Eddie's  was  not  a  subtile  or  analytical  mind. 
He  would  read  nothing  between  the  lines.  But 
Gertie?  Well,  it  couldn't  be  helped ! 

It  was  some  two  months  after  her  marriage 
that  she  received  a  letter  from  Miss  Pringle 
in  answer  to  the  one  she  had  written  while  she 
was  still  an  inmate  of  her  brother's  house. 

Miss  Pringle  confined  herself  largely  to  an 
account  of  her  Continental  wanderings  and  her 
bloodless  encounters  with  various  foreigners 
and  their  ridiculous  un-English  customs  from 
which  she  had  emerged  triumphant  and  victori- 
ous. Mrs.  Hubbard's  precarious  state  of  health 
had  led  her  into  being  unusually  captious,  it 
seemed.  Miss  Pringle  was  more  than  ever  con- 
tent to  be  back  in  Tunbridge  Wells,  where  all 
the  world  was,  by  comparison,  sane  and  reason- 
able in  behavior. 

When  it  came  to  touching  upon  her  friend's 
amazing  environment  and  unconventional  ex- 
periences, Miss  Pringle  was  discretion  itself. 
But  if  her  paragraphs  had  bristled  with  ex- 
clamation points,  they  could  not,  to  one  who 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          237 

understood  her  mental  processes,  have  more 
clearly  betrayed  her  utter  disapproval  and 
amazement  that  English  people,  and  descend- 
ants of  English  people,  could  so  far  forget 
themselves  as  to  live  in  any  such  manner. 

Replying  to  this  letter  was  only  a  degree  less 
hard  than  writing  to  Eddie.  Nora's  ready  pen 
faltered  more  than  once,  and  many  pages  were 
destroyed  before  an  answer  was  sent.  She  con- 
fined herself  entirely  to  describing  the  new  ex- 
perience of  a  Canadian  winter.  Of  her  de- 
parture from  her  brother's  roof  and  of  her 
marriage,  she  said  nothing  whatever. 

In  accordance  with  her  resolution  to  make 
the  best  of  things,  she  set  about  making  the 
shack  more  comfortable  and  homelike.  There 
were  many  of  those  things  which,  small  in  them- 
selves, count  for  much,  that  her  busy  brain 
planned  to  do  during  the  time  taken  up  in  the 
necessary  overhauling.  This  cleaning-up  proc- 
ess had  taken  several  days,  interrupted  as  it 
was  by  the  ordinary  daily  routine. 

To  her  unaccustomed  hand,  the  task  of  pre- 
paring three  hearty  meals  a  day  was  a  matter 
that  consumed  a  large  amount  of  time,  but  grad- 
ually, day  by  day,  she  found  herself  systematiz- 
ing her  task  and  becoming  less  inexpert.  To 
be  sure  she  made  many  mistakes ;  once,  indeed, 
in  a  fit  of  preoccupation,  while  occupied  in  re- 


238          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

arranging  the  bedroom,  burning  up  the  entire 
dinner. 

Upon  his  return,  her  husband  had  found  her 
red-eyed  and  apologetic. 

"  Oh,  well!  "  he  said.  "  It  ain't  worth  cry- 
ing over.  What  is  the  saying?  *  Hell  wasn't 
built  in  a  day  '?  " 

Nora  screamed  with  laughter.  "  I  think 
you're  mixing  two  old  saws.  Rome  wasn't  built 
in  a  day  and  Hell  is  paved  with  good  inten- 
tions." 

"  Well,"  he  laughed  good-naturedly,  "  they 
both  seem  to  hit  the  case." 

He  certainly  was  unfailingly  good-tempered. 
Not  that  .here  were  not  times  when  Nora  did 
not  have  to  remind  herself  of  her  new  resolu- 
tion and  he,  for  his  part,  exercise  all  his  for- 
bearance. But  in  the  main,  things  went  more 
smoothly  than  either  had  dared  to  hope  from 
their  inauspicious  beginning. 

The  thing  that  Nora  found  hardest  to  bear 
was  that  he  never  lost  a  certain  masterful 
manner.  It  was  a  continual  reminder  that  she 
had  been  defeated.  Then,  too,  he  had  a  mad- 
dening way  of  rewarding  her  for  good  conduct 
which  was  equally  hard  to  bear,  until  she  real- 
ized that  it  was  perfectly  unconscious  on  his 
part. 

For  example:  after  she  had  struggled  for  a 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          239 

week  with  her  make-shift  kitchen  outfit,  small 
in  the  beginning  but  greatly  reduced  by  her 
destructive  outburst  on  the  night  of  their  ar- 
rival, he  had,  without  saying  a  word  to  her  of 
his  intentions,  driven  over  to  Prentice  and  laid 
in  an  entire  new  stock  of  crockery  and  several 
badly  needed  pots  and  pans. 

Nora  had  found  it  hard  to  thank  him.  If  they 
had  been  labeled  "  For  a  Good  Child  "  she 
could  not  have  felt  more  humiliated.  And  what 
was  equally  trying,  he  seemed  to  have  divined 
her  thoughts,  for  his  smile,  upon  receiving  her 
halting  thanks,  had  not  been  without  a  touch  of 
malicious  amusement. 

On  the  other  hanri,  pll  her  little  efforts  to 
beautify  the  little  house  and  make  it  more  liva- 
ble met  with  his  enthusiastic  approval  and  sup- 
port. He  was  as  delighted  as  a  child  with 
everything  she  did,  and  often,  when  baffled  for 
the  moment  by  some  lack  of  material  for  carry- 
ing out  some  proposed  scheme,  he  came  to  the 
rescue  with  an  ingenious  suggestion  which 
solved  the  vexed  problem  at  once. 

And  so,  gradually,  to  the  no  small  wonder 
of  her  neighbor,  Mrs.  Sharp,  the  shack  began 
to  take  on  an  air  of  homely  brightness  and  com- 
fort which  that  lady's  more  pretentious  place 
lacked,  even  after  a  residence  of  thirteen  years. 

Curtains  tied  back  with  gay  ribands,  taken 


240          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

from  an  old  hat  and  refurbished,  appeared  at 
the  windows;  the  old  tin  syrup  cans,  pasted 
over  with  dark  green  paper,  were  made  to  dis- 
gorge their  mouldy  stores  and  transform  them- 
selves into  flower-pots  holding  scarlet  gerani- 
ums; even  the  disreputable,  rakish  old  rocking 
chair  assumed  a  belated  air  of  youth  and  re- 
spectability, wearing  as  it  did  a  cushion  of  dis- 
creetly patterned  chintz;  and  the  packing-box 
table  hid  its  deficiencies  under  a  simple  cloth. 
All  these  magic  transformations  Nora  had 
achieved  with  various  odds  and  ends  which  she 
found  in  her  trunk. 

Not  to  be  outdone,  Frank  had  contributed  a 
well-made  shelf  to  hold  Nora's  precious  books 
and  a  sort  of  cupboard  for  her  sewing  basket 
and,  for  the  crowning  touch,  had  with  much 
labor  contrived  some  rough  chairs  to  take  the 
place  of  the  packing-box  affairs  of  unpleasant 
memory. 

As  has  been  said,  Mrs.  Sharp  came,  saw  and 
wondered;  but  she  had  her  own  theory,  all  the 
same,  which  she  confided  to  her  husband. 

All  these  little  but  significant  changes,  the 
result  of  their  co-operative  effort,  had  not  been 
the  work  of  days,  but  of  weeks.  By  the  time 
they  had  all  been  accomplished,  the  winter  was 
practically  over  and  spring  was  at  hand.  Look- 
ing back  on  it,  it  seemed  impossibly  short,  al- 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          241 

though  there  had  been  times,  in  spite  of  her 
manifold  occupations,  when  it  had  seemed  to 
Nora  that  it  was  longer  than  any  winter  she 
had  ever  known.  She  looked  forward  to  the 
coming  spring  with  both  pleasure  and  dread. 

Through  many  a  dark  winter  day  she  had 
pictured  to  herself  how  beautiful  the  prairie 
must  be,  clad  in  all  the  verdant  livery  of  the 
most  wonderful  of  the  seasons.  And  yet  it 
would  mean  a  new  solitude  and  loneliness  to 
her,  her  husband,  of  necessity,  being  away 
through  all  the  long  daylight  hours.  She  began 
to  understand  Gertie's  dread  of  having  no  one 
to  speak  to.  She  avoided  asking  herself  the 
question  as  to  whether  it  was  loneliness  in  gen- 
eral or  the  particular  loneliness  of  missing  her 
husband  that  she  dreaded. 

But  she  was  obliged  to  admit  to  herself  that 
the  winter  had  wrought  more  transformations 
than  were  to  be  seen  in  the  little  shack. 


CHAPTER  XV 

IT  had  all  come  about  so  subtilely  and  grad- 
ually that  she  was  almost  unaware  of  it  her- 
self, this  inward  change  in  herself.  Nora  had 
by  nature  a  quick  and  active  mind,  but  she  had 
also  many  inherited  prejudices.  It  is  a  truism 
that  it  is  much  harder  to  unlearn  than  to  learn, 
and  for  her  it  was  harder,  in  the  circumstances, 
than  for  the  average  person.  Not  that  she  was 
more  set  in  her  ways  than  other  people,  but 
that  she  had  accepted  from  her  childhood  a 
definite  set  of  ideas  as  to  the  proper  conduct 
of  life ;  a  code,  in  other  words,  from  which  she 
had  never  conceived  it  possible  to  depart.  Peo- 
ple did  certain  things,  or  they  did  not;  you 
played  the  game  according  to  certain  prescribed 
rules,  or  you  didn't  play  it  with  decent  people, 
that  was  all  there  was  to  it.  One  might  as  well 
argue  that  there  was  no  difference  between 
right  and  wrong  as  to  say  that  this  was  not  so. 

Of  course  there  were  plenty  of  people  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  who  thought  otherwise,  such 
as  Chinese,  Aborigines,  Turks,  and  all  sorts  of 
unpleasant  natives  of  uncivilized  countries — 

242 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          243 

Nora  lumped  them  together  without  discrimina- 
tion or  remorse — but  no  one  planned  to  pass 
their  lives  among  them.  And  as  for  the  senti- 
ment that  Trotter  had  enunciated  one  day  at 
her  brother 's,  that  Canada  was  a  country  where 
everybody  was  as  good  as  everybody  else,  that 
was,  of  course,  utter  nonsense.  It  was  because 
the  country  was  raw  and  new  that  such  silly 
notions  prevailed.  No  society  could  exist  an 
hour  founded  upon  any  such  theory. 

And  yet,  here  she  was  living  with  a  man  on 
terms  of  equality  whom,  when  measured  up 
with  the  standards  she  was  accustomed  to, 
failed  impossibly.  And  yet,  did  he?  That  is, 
did  he,  in  the  larger  sense?  That  he  was  woe- 
fully deficient  in  all  the  little  niceties  of  life, 
that  he  was  illiterate  and  ignorant  could  not 
be  denied.  But  he  was  no  man's  fool,  and,  as 
far  as  his  light  shone,  he  certainly  lived  up  to 
it.  That  was  just  it.  He  had  a  standard  of 
his  own. 

She  compared  him  with  her  brother,  and  with 
other  men  she  had  known  and  respected.  Was 
he  less  honest?  less  brave?  less  independent? 
less  scrupulous  in  his  dealings  with  his  fellow- 
men?  To  all  these  questions  she  was  obliged 
to  answer  "  No."  And  he  was  proud,  too,  and 
ambitious;  ambitious  to  carve  out  a  fortune 
with  his  own  hands,  beholden  to  neither  man  nor 


244          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

circumstances  for  the  achievement.  Certainly 
there  was  much  that  was  fine  about  him. 

And,  as  far  as  his  treatment  of  herself  was 
concerned,  after  that  first  terrible  struggle  for 
mastery,  she  had  had  nothing  to  complain  of. 
He  had  been  patient  with  her  ignorance  and 
her  lack  of  capabilities  in  all  the  things  that 
the  women  in  this  new  life  were  so  proficient 
in.  Did  she  not,  perhaps,  fall  as  far  below  Ms 
standard  as  he  did  before  hers?  There  was 
certainly  something  to  be  said  on  both  sides. 

There  was  one  quality  which  he  possessed  to 
which  she  paid  ungrudging  tribute;  never  had 
she  met  a  man  so  free  from  all  petty  pretense. 
He  regretted  his  lack  of  opportunities  for  edu- 
cating himself,  but  it  apparently  never  entered 
his  head  to  pretend  a  knowledge  of  even  the 
simplest  subject  which  he  did  not  possess.  The 
questions  that  he  asked  her  from  time  to  time 
about  matters  which  almost  any  schoolboy  in 
England  could  have  answered,  both  touched  and 
embarrassed  her. 

At  first  she  had  found  the  evenings  the  most 
trying  part  of  the  day.  When  not  taken  up 
with  her  household  cares,  she  found  herself  be- 
coming absurdly  self-conscious  in  his  society. 
They  were  neither  of  them  naturally  silent  peo- 
ple, and  it  was  difficult  not  to  have  the  air 
of  "  talking  down  "  to  him,  of  palpably  mak- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          245 

ing  conversation.  Beyond  the  people  at  her 
brother's  and  the  Sharps,  they  had  not  a  single 
acquaintance  in  common.  Her  horizon,  hith- 
erto, had  been  bounded  by  England,  his  by 
Canada. 

Finally,  acting  on  the  suggestion  he  had  made, 
but  never  again  referred  to,  the  unforgettable 
day  when  they  were  leaving  for  Winnipeg,  she 
began  reading  aloud  evenings  while  he  worked 
on  his  new  chairs.  The  experiment  was  a  great 
success.  Her  little  library  was  limited  IM 
range;  a  few  standard  works  and  a  number  of 
books  on  travel  and  some  of  history.  She  soon 
found  that  history  was  what  he  most  enjoyed. 
Things  that  were  a  commonplace  to  her  were 
revealed  to  him  for  the  first  time.  And  his 
comments  were  keen  and  intelligent,  although 
his  point  of  view  was  strikingly  novel  and  at 
the  opposite  pole  from  hers.  To  be  sure,  she 
had  been  accustomed  to  accepting  history 
merely  as  a  more  or  less  accurate  record  of 
bygone  events  without  philosophizing  upon  it. 
But  to  him  it  was  one  long  chronicle  of  wrong 
and  oppression.  He  pronounced  the  dead  and 
gone  sovereigns  of  England  a  bad  lot  and  cow- 
ardly almost  without  exception ;  not  apparently 
objecting  to  them  on  the  ground  that  they  were 
kings,  as  she  had  at  first  thought,  but  because 
they  attained  their  ends,  mostly  selfish,  through 


246          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

cruelty  and  oppression,  without  any  regard  for 
humane  rights. 

It  was  the  same  way  with  books  of  travel. 
The  chateaus  and  castles,  with  all  their  atmos- 
phere of  story  and  romance  which  she  had  al- 
ways longed  to  visit,  interested  him  not  a  jot. 
In  his  opinion  they  were,  one  and  all,  bloody 
monuments  of  greed  and  selfishness ;  the  sooner 
they  were  razed  to  the  ground  and  forgotten, 
the  better  for  the  world. 

It  was  useless  to  make  an  appeal  for  them 
on  artistic  grounds;  art  to  him  was  a  doubly 
sealed  book,  and  yet  he  frequently  disclosed  an 
innate  love  of  beauty  in  his  appreciation  of  the 
changing  panorama  of  the  winter  landscape 
which  stretched  on  every  side  before  their  eyes. 

It  was  a  picture  which  had  an  inexhaustible 
fascination  for  Nora  herself,  although  there 
were  times  when  the  isolation,  and  above  all 
the  unbroken  stillness  got  badly  on  her  nerves. 
But  she  could  not  rid  herself  of  an  almost  super- 
stitious feeling  that  the  prairie  had  a  lesson 
to  teach  her.  Twice  they  went  in  to  Prentice. 
With  these  exceptions,  she  saw  no  one  but  her 
husband  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharp. 

But  it  was,  strangely  enough,  from  Mrs. 
Sharp  that  she  drew  the  most  illumination  as 
to  the  real  meaning  of  this  strange  new  life. 
Not  that  Mrs.  Sharp  was  in  the  least  subtile, 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          247 

quite  the  contrary.  She  was  as  hard-headed, 
practical  a  person  as  one  could  well  imagine. 
But  her  natural  powers  of  adaptability  must 
have  been  unusually  great.  From  a  small  shop 
in  one  of  the  outlying  suburbs  of  London,  with 
its  circumscribed  outlook,  moral  as  well  as 
physical,  to  the  limitless  horizon  of  the 
prairie  was  indeed  a  far  cry.  How  much  in- 
ward readjustment  such  a  violent  transplant- 
ing must  require,  Nora  had  sufficient  imagina- 
tion to  fully  appreciate.  But  if  Mrs.  Sharp, 
herself,  were  conscious  of  having  not  only  sur- 
vived her  uprooting  but  of  having  triumphantly 
grown  and  thrived  in  this  alien  soil,  she  gave 
no  sign  of  it.  Everything,  to  employ  her  own 
favorite  phrase  with  which  she  breached  over 
inexplicable  chasms,  "  was  all  in  a  lifetime." 

As  she  had  a  deeply  rooted  distaste  for  any 
form  of  exercise  beyond  that  which  was  re- 
quired in  the  day's  work,  most  of  the  visiting 
between  them  devolved  upon  Nora.  To  her 
the  distance  that  separated  the  two  houses  was 
nothing,  and  as  she  had  from  the  first  taken 
a  genuine  liking  to  her  neighbor  she  found  her- 
self going  over  to  the  Sharps'  several  times 
a  week. 

When,  as  was  natural  at  first,  she  felt  dis- 
couraged over  her  little  domestic  failures,  she 
found  these  neighborly  visits  a  great  tonic. 


248          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Mrs.  Sharp  was  always  ready  to  give  advice 
when  appealed  to.  And  unlike  Gertie,  she  never 
expressed  astonishment  at  her  visitor's  igno- 
rance, or  impatience  with  her  shortcomings. 
These  became  more  and  more  infrequent.  Nora 
made  up  for  her  total  lack  of  experience  by  an 
intelligent  willingness  to  be  taught.  There  was 
a  certain  stimulation  in  the  thought  that  she 
was  learning  to  manage  her  own  house,  that 
would  have  been  lacking  while  at  her  brother's 
even  if  Gertie  had  displayed  a  more  agreeable 
willingness  to  impart  her  own  knowledge. 

Nora  had  always  been  fond  of  children,  and 
she  found  the  Sharp  children  unusually  inter- 
esting. It  was  curious  to  see  how  widely  the 
ideas  of  this,  the  first  generation  born  in  the 
new  country,  differed,  not  only  from  those  of 
their  parents,  but  from  what  they  must  have 
inevitably  been  if  they  had  remained  in  the 
environment  that  would  have  been  theirs  had 
they  been  born  and  brought  up  back  in  Eng- 
land. 

All  of  their  dreams  as  to  what  they  were 
going  to  do  when  they  grew  to  manhood  were 
colored  and  shaped  by  the  outdoor  life  they 
had  been  accustomed  to.  They  were  to  be  farm- 
ers and  cattle  raisers  on  a  large  scale.  Mrs. 
Sharp  used  to  shake  her  head  sometimes  as  she 
heard  these  grandiloquent  plans,  but  Nora 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          249 

could  see  that  she  was  secretly  both  proud  and 
pleased.  After  all,  why  should  not  these 
dreams  be  realized?  Everything  was  possible 
to  the  children  of  this  new  and  wonderful  coun- 
try, if  they  were  only  industrious  and  am- 
bitious. 

11  I  don't  know,  I'm  sure,  what  their  poor 
dear  grandfather  would  have  said  if  he  had 
lived  to  hear  them,"  she  used  to  say  sometimes 
to  Nora.  "  He  used  to  think  that  there  was 
nothing  so  genteel  as  having  a  good  shop.  He 
quite  looked  down  on  farming  folk.  Still, 
everything  is  different  out  here,  ideas  as  well 
as  everything  else,  and  I'm  not  at  all  sure  they 
won't  be  better  off  in  the  end." 

In  which  notion  Nora  secretly  agreed  with 
her.  To  picture  these  healthy,  sturdy,  outdoor 
youngsters  confined  to  a  little  dingy  shop  such 
as  their  mother  had  been  used  to  in  her  own 
childhood  was  impossible,  as  she  recalled  to 
her  mind  the  pale,  anemic-looking  little  souls 
she  had  occasionally  seen  during  her  stay  in 
London.  Was  not  any  personal  sacrifice  worth 
seeing  one's  children  grow  up  so  strong  and 
healthy,  so  manly  and  independent! 

This,  then,  was  the  true  inwardness  of  it 
all;  the  thing  that  dignified  and  ennobled  this 
life  of  toil  and  hardship,  deprived  of  almost  all 
the  things  which  she  had  always  regarded  as 


250         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

necessary,  that  the  welfare,  prosperity  and 
happiness  of  generations  yet  to  come  might  be 
reared  on  this  foundation  laid  by  self-denial 
and  deprivation. 

She  felt  almost  humbled  in  the  presence  of 
this  simple,  unpretentious,  kindly  woman  who 
had  borne  so  much  without  complaint  that  her 
children  might  have  wider  opportunities  for 
usefulness  and  happiness  than  she  had  ever 
known. 

Not  that  Mrs.  Sharp,  herself,  seemed  to  think 
that  she  was  doing  anything  remarkable.  She 
took  it  all  as  a  matter  of  course.  It  was  only 
when  something  brought  up  the  subject  of  the 
difficulties  of  learning  to  do  without  this  or 
that,  that  she  alluded  to  the  days  when  she  also 
was  inexperienced  and  had  had  to  learn  for 
herself  without  anyone  to  advise  or  help  her. 

Miles  away  from  any  help  other  than  her 
husband  could  give  her,  she  had  borne  six  chil- 
dren and  buried  one.  And  although  the  days 
of  their  worst  poverty  seemed  safely  behind 
them,  they  had  been  able  to  save  but  little,  so 
that  they  still  felt  themselves  at  the  mercies  of 
the  changing  seasons.  Given  one  or  two  good 
years  to  harvest  their  crops,  they  might  indeed 
consider  themselves  almost  beyond  the  danger 
point.  But  with  seven  mouths  to  feed,  one  could 
not  afford  to  lose  a  single  crop. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          251 

With  her  head  teeming  with  all  the  new  ideas 
that  Mrs.  Sharp's  experiences  furnished,  Nora 
felt  that  the  time  was  by  no  means  as  wasted 
as  she  had  once  thought  it  would  be.  There  was 
no  reason,  after  all,  that  she  should  sink  to  the 
level  of  a  mere  domestic  drudge.  And  if  this 
part  of  her  life  was  not  to  endure  forever,  it 
would  not  have  been  entirely  barren,  since  it 
furnished  her  with  much  new  material  to  ponder 
over.  After  all,  was  it  really  more  narrow 
than  her  life  at  Tunbridge  Wells?  In  her  heart, 
she  acknowledged  that  it  was  not. 

To  Frank,  also,  the  winter  brought  a  broader 
outlook.  He  had  looked  upon  Nora's  little  re- 
finements of  speech  and  delicate  point  of  view, 
when  he  had  first  known  her  at  her  brother's, 
as  finicky,  to  say  the  least.  All  women  had  fool 
notions  about  most  things;  this  one  seemed  to 
have  more  than  the  average  share,  that  was  all. 
He  secretly  shared  Gertie's  opinion  that  women 
the  world  over  were  all  alike  in  the  essentials. 
He  had  always  been  of  the  opinion  that  Nora 
had  good  stuff  in  her  which  would  come  out 
once  she  had  been  licked  into  shape.  Yet  he 
found  himself  not  only  learning  to  admire  her 
for  those  same  niceties  but  found  himself  un- 
consciously imitating  her  mannerisms  of  speech. 

Then,  too,  after  they  began  the  habit  of  read- 
ing in  the  evenings,  he  found  that  she  had  no 


252          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

intention  of  ridiculing  his  ignorance  and  lack  of 
knowledge  in  matters  on  which  she  seemed  to 
him  to  be  wonderfully  informed.  That  they 
did  not  by  any  means  always  agree  in  the  con- 
clusions they  arrived  at,  in  place  of  irritating 
him,  as  he  would  have  thought,  he  found  only 
stimulating  to  his  imagination.  To  attack  and 
try  to  undermine  her  position,  as  long  as  their 
arguments  were  conducted  with  perfect  good 
nature  on  either  side,  as  they  always  were,  di- 
verted him  greatly.  And  he  was  secretly 
pleased  when  she  defended  herself  with  a  skill 
and  address  that  defeated  his  purpose. 

All  the  little  improvements  in  the  shack  were 
a  source  of  never-ending  pride  and  pleasure  to 
him.  Often  when  at  work  he  found  himself 
proudly  comparing  his  place  with  its  newly 
added  prettiness  with  the  more  gaudy  orna- 
ments of  Mrs.  Sharp's  or  even  with  Gertie's 
more  pretentious  abode.  And  it  was  not  alto- 
gether the  pride  of  ownership  that  made  them 
suffer  in  the  comparison. 

Looking  back  on  the  days  before  Nora's  ad- 
vent seemed  like  a  horrible  nightmare  from 
which  he  was  thankful  to  have  awakened.  Once 
in  a  while  he  indulged  himself  in  speculating 
as  to  how  it  would  feel  to  go  back  to  the  old 
shiftless,  untidy  days  of  his  bachelorhood.  But 
he  rarely  allowed  himself  to  entertain  the  idea 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          253 

of  her  leaving,  seriously.  He  was  like  a  child, 
snuggly  tucked  in  his  warm  bed  who,  listening 
to  the  howling  of  the  wind  outside,  pictures 
himself  exposed  to  its  harshness  in  order  to 
luxuriate  the  more  in  its  warmth  and  comfort. 

But  when,  as  sometimes  happened,  he  could 
not  close  the  door  of  his  mind  to  the  thought 
of  how  he  should  ever  learn  to  live  without  her 
again,  it  brought  an  anguish  that  was  physical 
as  well  as  mental.  Once,  looking  up  from  her 
book,  Nora  had  surprised  him  sitting  with 
closed  eye,  his  face  white  and  drawn  with  pain. 

Her  fright,  and  above  all  her  pretty  solici- 
tude even  after  he  had  assuaged  her  fears  by 
explaining  that  he  occasionally  suffered  from 
an  old  strain  which  he  had  sustained  a  few 
years  before  while  working  in  the  lumber 
camps,  tried  his  composure  to  the  utmost. 

For  days,  the  memory  of  the  look  in  her  eyes 
as  she  bent  over  him  remained  in  his  mind. 
But  he  was  careful  not  to  betray  himself  again. 

It  was  to  prevent  any  repetition  that  he  first 
resorted  to  working  over  something  while  she 
was  reading.  While  doubly  occupied  with  lis- 
tening and  working  with  his  hands,  he  found 
that  his  mind  was  less  apt  to  go  off  on  a  tangent 
and  indulge  in  painful  and  profitless  specula- 
tions. 

For,  after  all,  as  she  had  said,  how  could  he 


254          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

prevent  her  going  if  her  heart  was  set  on  it? 
That  she  had  given  no  outward  sign  of  being 
unhappy  or  discontented  argued  nothing.  She 
was  far  too  shrewd  to  spend  her  strength  in 
unavailing  effort.  Pride  and  ordinary  prudence 
would  counsel  waiting  for  a  more  favorable  op- 
portunity than  had  yet  been  afforded  her.  She 
would  not  soon  forget  the  lesson  of  the  night 
he  had  beaten  down  her  opposition  and  dragged 
her  pride  in  the  dust. 

And  would  she  ever  forgive  it?  That  was  a 
question  that  he  asked  himself  almost  daily 
without  finding  any  answer.  There  was  noth- 
ing in  her  manner  to  show  that  she  harbored 
resentment  or  that  she  was  brooding  over  plans 
for  escaping  from  the  bondage  of  her  life. 
But  women,  in  his  experience,  were  deep,  even 
cunning.  Once  given  a  strong  purpose,  women 
like  Nora,  pursued  it  to  the  end.  Women  of 
this  type  were  not  easily  diverted  by  side  is- 
sues as  men  so  often  were. 

For  weeks  he  lived  in  daily  apprehension  of 
Ed's  arrival.  There  was  no  one  else  she  could 
turn  to,  and  evoking  his  aid  did  not  necessarily 
argue  that  she  must  submit  again  to  Gertie's 
grudging  hospitality.  Ed  might  easily,  un- 
known to  his  masterful  better-half,  furnish 
the  funds  to  return  to  England.  She  had  not 
written  him  that  he  knew  of.  As  a  matter  of 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          255 

fact,  she  had  not,  but  she  might  have  given  the 
letter  to  Sid  Sharp  to  post  on  one  of  his  not 
infrequent  trips  into  Prentice.  It  would  only 
have  been  by  chance  that  Sid  would  speak  of 
so  trifling  a  matter.  He  was  much  too  proud 
to  question  him. 

But  as  time  went  on  and  no  Ed  appeared, 
he  began,  if  not  exactly  to  hope  that,  after  all 
she  was  finding  the  life  not  unbearable,  at 
least  her  leaving  was  a  thing  of  the  more  or 
less  remote  future.  He  summoned  all  his  phi- 
losophy to  his  aid.  Perhaps  by  the  time  she 
did  make  up  her  mind  to  quit  him  he  would 
have  acquired  some  little  degree  of  resigna- 
tion, or  at  least  would  not  be  caught  as  un- 
prepared as  he  frankly  confessed  himself  to  be 
at  the  moment. 

The  spring,  which  brought  many  new  occu- 
pations, mostly  out  of  doors,  had  passed,  and 
summer  was  past  its  zenith.  Frank  had  worked 
untiringly  from  dawn  to  dark,  so  wearied  that 
he  frequently  found  it  difficult  to  keep  his  eyes 
open  until  supper  was  over.  But  his  enthusi- 
asm never  flagged.  If  everything  went  as  well 
as  he  hoped,  the  additional  quarter-section  was 
assured.  For  some  reason  or  other,  possibly 
because  he  was  beginning  to  feel  a  reaction 
after  the  hard  work  of  the  summer,  Nora 
fancied  that  his  spirits  were  less  high  than 


256          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

usual.  He  talked  less  of  the  coveted  land  than 
was  his  custom.  She,  herself,  had  never,  in  all 
her  healthy  life,  felt  so  glowing  with  health  and 
strength.  She,  too,  had  worked  hard,  finding 
almost  every  day  some  new  task  to  perform. 
But  aside  from  the  natural  fatigue  at  night, 
which  long  hours  of  dreamless  sleep  entirely 
dissipated,  she  felt  all  the  better  for  her  new 
experiences.  For  one  thing,  her  steady  im- 
provement in  all  the  arts  of  the  good  house- 
wife made  her  daily  routine  much  easier  as 
well  as  giving  her  much  secret  satisfaction. 
Never  in  her  life  had  she  looked  so  well.  The 
summer  sun  had  given  her  a  color  which  was 
most  becoming. 


CHAPTEE  XVI 

ONE  afternoon,  shortly  after  dinner,  she  had 
gone  out  to  gather  a  nosegay  of  wild  flowers 
to  brighten  her  little  living-room.  She  was 
busily  engaged  in  arranging  them  in  a  pudding 
bowl,  smiling  to  think  that  her  hand  had  lost 
none  of  the  cunning  to  which  Miss  Wickham 
had  always  paid  grudging  tribute,  even  if  her 
improvised  vase  was  of  homely  ware,  when  she 
heard  her  husband's  step  at  the  door.  It  was 
so  unusual  for  him  to  return  at  this  hour  that 
for  a  moment  she  was  almost  startled. 

"  I  didn't  know  you  were  about." 

"  Oh,"  he  said  easily,  "  I  ain't  got  much  to 
do  to-day.  I've  been  out  with  Sid  Sharp  and 
a  man  come  over  from  Prentice." 

"  From  Prentice?  " 

Having  arranged  her  flowers  to  her  satisfac- 
tion, she  stepped  back  to  view  the  effect.  At 
that  moment  her  husband's  eye  fell  on  them. 

"  Say,  what  you  got  there?  " 

''Aren't  they  pretty?  I  picked  them  just 
now.  They're  so  gay  and  cheerful." 

"  Very."    But  his  tone  had  none  of  the  en- 

257 


258          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

thusiasm  with  which,  he  usually  greeted  her  ef- 
forts to  beautify  the  house. 

"  A  few  flowers  make  the  shack  look  more 
bright  and  cozy." 

He  took  in  the  room  with  a  glance  that  ap- 
proved of  everything. 

"  You've  made  it  a  real  home,  Nora.  Mrs. 
Sharp  never  stops  talking  of  how  you've  done 
it.  She  was  saying  only  the  other  day  it  was 
because  you  was  a  lady.  It  does  make  a  differ- 
ence, I  guess,  although  I  didn't  use  to  think  so." 

Nora  gave  him  a  smile  full  of  indulgence. 

11  I'm  glad  you  haven't  found  me  quite  a 
hopeless  failure." 

"  I  guess  I've  never  been  so  comfortable  in 
all  my  life.  It's  what  I  always  said:  once  Eng- 
lish girls  do  take  to  the  life,  they  make  a  better 
job  of  it  than  anybody." 

"  What's  the  man  come  over  from  Prentice 
for?  "  asked  Nora.  They  were  approaching  a 
subject  she  always  avoided. 

"  I  guess  you  ain't  been  terribly  happy  here, 
my  girl,"  he  said  gravely,  unmindful  of  her 
question. 

"  What  on  earth  makes  you  say  that?  ' 

"  You've  got  too  good  a  memory,  I  guess, 
and  you  ain't  ever  forgiven  me  for  that  first 
night." 

It  was  the  first  time  he  had  alluded  to  the 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          259 

subject  for  months.  Would  lie  never  under- 
stand that  she  wanted  to  forget  it!  He  might 
know  that  it  always  irritated  her. 

"  I  made  up  my  mind  very  soon  that  I  must 
accept  the  consequences  of  what  I'd  done.  I've 
tried  to  fall  in  with  your  ways,"  she  said  coldly. 

"  You  was  clever  enough  to  see  that  I  meant 
to  be  the  master  in  my  own  house  and  that  I 
had  the  strength  to  make  myself  so." 

How  unlike  his  latter  self  this  boastful 
speech  was.  But  then  he  had  been  utterly  un- 
like himself  for  several  days.  What  did  he 
mean?  She  knew  him  well  enough  by  now  to 
know  that  he  never  acted  without  meaning.  But 
directness  was  one  of  his  most  admirable  char- 
acteristics. It  was  unlike  him  to  be  devious,  as 
he  was  being  now.  But  if  the  winter  had  taught 
her  anything,  it  had  taught  her  patience. 

"  I've  cooked  for  you,  mended  your  clothes, 
and  I've  kept  the  shack  clean.  I've  tried  to  be 
obliging  and — and  obedient."  The  last  word 
was  not  yet  an  easy  one  to  pronounce. 

"  I  guess  you  hated  me,  though,  sometimes." 
He  gave  a  little  chuckle. 

"  No  one  likes  being  humiliated;  and  you 
humiliated  me." 

"  Ed's  coming  here  presently,  my  girl." 

"  Ed  who!  " 

"  Your  brother  Ed." 


260         THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

"  Eddie!    When?" 

11  Why,  right  away,  I  guess.  He  was  in 
Prentice  this  morning." 

"  How  do  you  know!  " 

"  He  'phoned  over  to  Sharp  to  say  he  was 
riding  out." 

"  Oh,  how  splendid!  Why  didn't  you  tell  me 
before?  " 

"  I  didn't  know  about  it." 

* '  Is  that  why  you  asked  me  if  I  was  happy  ? 
I  couldn't  make  out  what  was  the  matter  with 
you. ' ' 

"  Well,  I  guess  I  thought  if  you  still  wanted 
to  quit,  Ed's  coming  would  be  kind  of  useful." 

Nora  sat  down  in  one  of  the  chairs  and  gave 
him  a  long  level  look. 

"  What  makes  you  think  that  I  want  to?  ' 
she  said  quietly. 

11  You  ain't  been  so  very  talkative  these  last 
months,  but  I  guess  it  wasn't  so  hard  to  see 
sometimes  that  you'd  have  given  pretty  near 
anything  in  the  world  to  quit." 

"  I've  no  intention  of  going  back  to  Eddie's 
farm,  if  that's  what  you  mean." 

To  this  he  made  no  reply.  Still  with  the 
same  grave  air,  he  went  over  to  the  door  and 
started  out  again,  pausing  a  moment  after  he 
had  crossed  the  threshold. 

"If  Ed  comes  before  I  get  back,  tell  him  I 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          261 

won't  be  long.  I  guess  you  won't  be  sorry  to 
do  a  bit  of  yarning  with  him  all  by  yourself." 

"  You  are  not  going  away  with  the  idea  that 
I'm  going  to  say  beastly  things  to  him  about 
you,  are  you?  ' 

"  No,  I  guess  not.  That  ain't  your  sort. 
Perhaps  we  don't  know  the  best  of  one  another 
yet,  but  I  reckon  we  know  the  worst  by  this 
time." 

"  Frank!  '  she  said  sharply.  "  There's 
something  the  matter.  What  is  it!  ' 

"Why,  no;  there's  nothing.     Why?" 

"  You've  not  been  yourself  the  last  few 
days." 

"  I  guess  that's  only  your  imagination. 
Well,  I'd  better  be  getting  along.  Sid  and  the 
other  fellow  '11  be  waiting  for  me. ' ' 

Without  another  look  in  her  direction,  he  was 
gone,  closing  the  door  after  him. 

Nora  remained  quite  still  for  several  minutes, 
biting  her  lips  and  frowning  in  deep  thought. 
It  was  all  very  well  to  say  that  there  was  noth- 
ing the  matter,  but  there  was.  Did  he  think 
she  could  live  with  him  day  after  day  all  these 
months  and  not  notice  his  change  of  mood,  even 
if  she  could  not  translate  it!  He  had  still  a 
great  deal  to  learn  about  women! 

On  the  way  over  to  the  shelf  to  get  her  work, 
she  paused  a  moment  beside  her  flowers  to  cheer 


262          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

herself  once  more  with  their  brightness.  Sit- 
ting down  by  the  table,  she  began  to  darn  one 
of  her  husband's  thick  woolen  socks.  An  instant 
later  she  was  startled  by  a  loud  knock  on  the 
door. 

With  a  little  cry  of  pleasure  she  flung  it  open, 
to  find  Eddie  standing  outside.  She  gave  a 
cry  of  delight.  Somehow,  the  interval  since  she 
had  seen  him  last,  significant  as  it  was  in  bring- 
ing to  her  the  greatest  change  her  life  had 
known,  seemed  for  the  second  longer  than  all 
the  years  she  had  spent  in  England  without 
seeing  him. 

11  Eddie!  Oh,  my  dear,  I'm  so  glad  to  see 
you!  "  she  cried,  flinging  her  arms  around  his 
neck. 

"  Hulloa  there,"  he  said  awkwardly. 

**  But  how  did  you  come?  I  didn't  hear  any 
wheels." 

"  Look."  He  pointed  over  to  the  shed;  she 
looked  over  his  shoulder  to  see  Reggie  Hornby 
grinning  at  her  from  the  seat  of  a  wagon. 

"  Why,  it's  Reggie  Hornby.  Reggie!  "  she 
called. 

Reggie  took  off  his  broad  hat  with  a  flourish. 

"  Tell  him  he  can  put  the  horse  in  the 
lean-to." 

"  All  right.  Reg,"  called  Marsh,  "  give  the 
old  lady  a  feed  and  put  her  in  the  lean-to." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          263 

"  Right-o!  " 

"  Didn't  you  meet  Frank?  He's  only  just 
this  moment  gone  out." 

"  No." 

"  He'll  be  back  presently.  Now,  come  in. 
Oh,  my  dear,  it  is  splendid  to  see  you!  ': 

'"  You're  looking  fine,  Nora." 

11  Have  you  had  your  dinner?  ' 

"  Sure.  We  got  something  to  eat  before  we 
left  Prentice." 

"  Well,  you'll  have  a  cup  of  tea?  ' 

"  No,  I  won't  have  any,  thanks." 

11  Ah,"  laughed  Nora  happily,  "  you're  not  a 
real  Canadian  yet,  if  you  refuse  a  cup  of  tea 
when  it's  offered  you.  But  do  sit  down  and 
make  yourself  comfortable,"  she  said,  fairly 
pushing  him  into  a  chair. 

"  How  are  you  getting  along,  Nora?  '  His 
manner  was  still  a  little  constrained.  They 
were  both  thinking  of  their  last  parting.  But 
she,  being  a  woman,  could  carry  it  off  better. 

"  Oh,  never  mind  about  me,"  she  said  gayly. 
"  Tell  me  all  about  yourself.  How's  Gertie? 
And  what  has  brought  you  to  this  part  of  the 
world  ?  And  what 's  Reggie  Hornby  doing  here  ? 
And  is  Thingamajig  still  with  you;  you  know, 
the  hired  man?  '  —The  word  "  other  "  almost 
slipped  out. — "  What  was  his  name,  Trotter, 
wasn't  it?  Oh,  my  dear,  don't  sit  there  like  a 


264          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

stuffed  pig,  but  answer  my  questions,  or  I'll 
shake  you." 

"  My  dear  child,  I  can't  answer  fifteen  ques- 
tions all  at  once!  " 

"  Oh,  Eddie,  I'm  so  glad  to  see  you!  You 
are  a  perfect  duck  to  come  and  see  me." 

11  Now  let  me  get  a  word  in  edgeways." 

"  I  won't  utter  another  syllable.  But,  for 
goodness'  sake,  hurry  up.  I  want  to  know  all 
sorts  of  things." 

"  Well,  the  most  important  thing  is  that  I'm 
expecting  to  be  a  happy  father  in  three  or  four 
months." 

"  Oh,  Eddie,  I'm  so  glad !  How  happy  Gertie 
must  be." 

"  She  doesn't  know  what  to  make  of  it.  But 
I  guess  she's  pleased  right  enough.  She  sends 
you  her  love  and  says  she  hopes  you'll  follow 
her  example  very  soon." 

"  I?  "  said  Nora  sharply.  "  But,"  she  added 
with  a  return  to  her  gay  tone,  "  you've  not  told 
me  what  you're  doing  in  this  part  of  the  world, 
anyway. ' ' 

"  Anyway?  " 

Nora  blushed.  "  I've  practically  spoken  to 
no  one  but  Frank  for  months;  it's  natural  that 
I  should  fall  into  his  way  of  speaking." 

"  Well,  when  I  got  Frank's  letter  about  the 
clearing-machine " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          265 

"  Frank  has  written  to  you?  ' 

"  Why,  yes;  didn't  you  know?  He  said  there 
was  a  clearing-machine  going  cheap  at  Prentice. 
I've  always  thought  I  could  make  money  down 
our  way  if  I  had  one.  They  say  you  can  clear 
from  three  to  four  acres  a  day  with  one.  Frank 
thought  it  was  worth  my  while  to  come  and 
have  a  look  at  it  and  he  said  he  guessed  you'd 
be  glad  to  see  me." 

"  How  funny  of  him  not  to  say  anything  to 
me  about  it,"  said  Nora,  frowning  once  more. 

"  I  suppose  he  wanted  to  surprise  you.  And 
now  for  yourself;  how  do  you  like  being  a  mar- 
ried woman?  " 

"  Oh,  all  right.  But  you  haven't  answered 
half  my  questions  yet.  Why  has  Reggie  Hornby 
come  with  you?  " 

"  Do  you  realize  I've  not  seen  you  since  be- 
fore you  were  married?  " 

"  That's  so;  you  haven't,  have  you?  " 

"  I've  been  a  bit  anxious  about  you.  That's 
why,  when  Frank  wrote  about  the  clearing- 
machine,  I  didn't  stop  to  think  about  it,  but 
just  came." 

"  It  was  awfully  nice  of  you.  But  why  has 
Reggie  Hornby  come?  " 

"  Oh,  he's  going  back  to  England." 

"  Is  he?" 

"  Yes,  he  got  them  to  send  his  passage  money 


266          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

at  last.  His  ship  doesn't  sail  till  next  week,  and 
he  said  he  might  just  as  well  stop  over  here 
and  say  good-by  to  you." 

"  How  has  he  been  getting  on?  " 

11  How  do  you  expect?  He  looks  upon  work 
as  something  that  only  damned  fools  do. 
Where's  Frank?  " 

"  Oh,  he's  out  with  Sid  Sharp.  Sid's  our 
neighbor.  He  has  the  farm  you  passed  on  your 
way  here." 

' '  Getting  on  all  right  with  him,  Nora  ?  ' ' 

"  Why,  of  course,"  said  Nora  with  just  a 
suggestion  of  irritation  in  her  voice. 

"  What's  that  boy  doing  all  this  time?  "  she 
asked,  going  over  to  the  window  and  looking 
out.  "  He  is  slow,  isn't  he?  ' 

But  Marsh  was  not  a  man  whom  it  was  easy 
to  side-track. 

"  It's  a  great  change  for  you,  this,  after  the 
sort  of  life  you've  been  used  to." 

"  I  was  rather  hoping  you'd  have  some  let- 
ters for  me,"  said  Nora  from  the  window.  "  I 
haven't  had  a  letter  for  a  long  time." 

As  a  matter  of  fact  she  had  no  reason  to 
expect  any,  not  having  answered  Miss  Pringle's 
last  and  having  practically  no  other  correspond- 
ent. But  the  speech  was  a  happy  one,  in  that 
it  created  the  desired  diversion. 

"  There  now!  "  said  her  brother  with  an  air 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          267 

of  comical  consternation.  "  I've  got  a  head 
like  a  sieve.  Two  came  by  the  last  mail.  I 
didn  't  forward  them,  because  I  was  coming  my- 
self." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  you've  forgotten 
them!  " 

"  No;  here  they  are." 

Nora  took  them  with  a  show  of  eagerness. 
"  They  don't  look  very  exciting,"  she  said, 
glancing  at  them.  "  One's  from  Agnes  Pringle, 
the  lady's  companion  that  I  used  to  know  at 
Tunbridge  Wells,  you  remember.  And  the 
other's  from  Mr.  Wynne." 

"  Who's  he?  " 

"  Oh,  he  was  Miss  Wickham's  solicitor.  He 
wrote  to  me  once  before  to  say  he  hoped  I  was 
getting  on  all  right.  I  don't  think  I  want  to 
hear  from  people  in  England  any  more,"  she 
said  in  a  low  voice,  more  to  herself  than  to 
him,  tossing  the  letters  on  the  table. 

*  *  My  dear,  why  do  you  say  that  I  ' 

11  It's  no  good  thinking  of  the  past,  is  it!  ' 

"  Aren't  you  going  to  read  your  letters?  ' 

"  Not  now;  I'll  read  them  when  I'm  alone." 

"  Don't  mind  me." 

"  It's  silly  of  me;  but  letters  from  England 
always  make  me  cry." 

"  Nora!    Then  you  aren't  happy  here." 

"Why  shouldn't  I  be?  " 


268          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

11  Then  why  haven't  you  written  to  me  but 
once  since  you  were  married?  ' 

"  I  hadn't  anything  to  say.  And  then," 
carrying  the  war  into  the  enemy's  quarter,  "  I'd 
been  practically  turned  out  of  your  house." 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  make  of  you.  Frank 
Taylor's  kind  to  you  and  all  that  sort  of  thing, 
isn't  he?  " 

"  Very.  But  don't  cross-examine  me,  there's 
a  dear." 

"  When  I  asked  you  to  come  and  make  your 
home  with  me,  I  thought  it  mightn't  be  long 
before  you  married.  But  I  didn't  expect  you 
to  marry  one  of  the  hired  men." 

"  Oh,  my  dear,  please  don't  worry  about  me." 
Nora  was  about  at  the  end  of  her  endurance. 

"  It's  all  very  fine  to  say  that;  but  you've 
got  no  one  in  the  world  belonging  to  you  except 
me." 

"  Don't,  I  tell  you." 

"  Nora!  " 

"  Now  listen.  We've  never  quarreled  once 
since  the  first  day  I  came  here.  Now  are  you 
satisfied?  " 

She  said  it  bravely,  but  it  was  with  a  feeling 
of  unspeakable  relief  that  she  saw  Eeggie 
Hornby  at  the  door. 

She  certainly  had  never  before  been  so  genu- 
inety  glad  to  see  him.  As  she  smilingly  held  out 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          269 

her  hand,  her  eye  took  in  his  changed  appear- 
ance. Gone  were  the  overalls  and  the  flannel 
shirt,  the  heavy  boots  and  broad  belt.  Before 
her  stood  the  Reggie  of  former  days  in  a  well- 
cut  suit  of  blue  serge  and  spotless  linen.  She 
was  surprised  to  find  herself  thinking,  after 
all,  men  looked  better  in  flannels. 

"I  was  wondering  what  on  earth  you  were 
doing  with  yourself,"  she  said  gayly. 

"  I  say,"  he  said,  his  eye  taking  in  the  bright 
little  room,  "  this  is  a  swell  shack  you've 
got." 

"  I've  tried  to  make  it  look  pretty  and  home- 
like." 

"  Helloa,  what's  this"?  "  said  Marsh,  whose 
eye  had  fallen  for  the  first  time  on  the  bowl  of 
flowers. 

11  Aren't  they  pretty!  I've  only  just  picked 
them.  They're  mustard  flowers." 

"  We  call  them  weeds.  Have  you  much  of 
it?" 

1 '  Oh,  yes;  lots.    Why?" 

"  Oh,  nothing." 

"  Eddie  tells  me  you're  going  home." 

"  Yes,"  said  Eeggie,  seating  himself  and 
carefully  pulling  up  his  trousers.  "I'm  fed  up 
for  my  part  with  God's  own  country.  Na- 
ture never  intended  me  to  be  an  agricultural 
laborer." 


270          THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE 

"No?   And  what  are  you  going  to  do  now?  " 

"  Loaf!  "  Mr.  Hornby's  tone  expressed  pro- 
found conviction. 

"  Won't  you  get  bored?  "  smiled  Nora, 

"I'm  never  bored.  It  amuses  me  to  watch 
other  people  do  things.  I  should  hate  my  fel- 
low-creatures to  be  idle." 

"  I  should  think  one  could  do  more  with  life 
than  lounge  around  clubs  and  play  cards  with 
people  who  don't  play  as  well  as  oneself." 

Hornby  gave  her  a  quick  ironic  look.  "  I 
quite  agree  with  you,"  he  said  with  his  most 
serious  air.  "  I've  been  thinking  things  over 
very  seriously  this  winter.  I'm  going  to  look 
out  for  a  middle-aged  widow  with  money  who  '11 
adopt  me." 

"  I  recall  that  you  have  decided  views  about 
the  White  Man's  Burden." 

"  All  I  want  is  to  get  through  life  comfort- 
ably. I  don't  mean  to  do  a  stroke  more  work 
than  Fm  obliged  to,  and  I'm  going  to  have 
the  very  best  time  I  can." 

"I'm  sure  you  will,"  said  Nora,  smiling. 

But  her  smile  was  a  little  mechanical.  Some- 
how she  could  no  longer  be  genuinely  amused 
at  such  sentiments  which,  in  spite  of  his  airy 
manner,  she  knew  to  be  real.  And  yet,  it  was 
not  so  very  long  ago  that  she  would  have 
thought  them  perfectly  natural  in  a  man  of  his 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          271 

position.  Somehow,  her  old  standards  were  not 
as  fixed  as  she  had  thought  them. 

"  The  moment  I  get  back  to  London,"  con- 
tinned  Hornby  imperturbably,  "  I'm  going  to 
stand  myself  a  bang-up  dinner  at  the  Ritz. 
Then  I  shall  go  and  see  some  musical  comedy  at 
the  Gaiety,  and  after  that,  I'll  have  a  slap-up 
supper  at  Romano's.  England,  with  all  thy 
faults,  I  love  thee  still!  "  he  finished  piously. 

"  I  suppose  it's  being  alone  with  the  prairie 
all  these  months,"  said  Nora,  more  to  herself 
than  him ;  ' '  but  things  that  used  to  seem  clever 
and  funny — well,  I  see  them  altogether  differ- 
ently now." 

"I'm  afraid  you  don't  altogether  approve  of 
me,"  he  said,  quite  unabashed. 

"  I  don't  think  you  have  much  pluck,"  said 
Nora,  not  unkindly. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  about  that.  I've  as  much 
as  anyone  else,  I  expect,  only  I  don't  make  a 
fuss  about  it." 

"  Oh,  pluck  to  stand  up  and  let  yourself  be 
shot  at." — She  flushed  slightly  at  the  remem- 
brance of  Frank  standing  in  this  very  room 
in  front  of  the  gun  in  her  hand.  Would  she  ever 
forget  his  laugh! — "  But  pluck  to  do  the  same 
monotonous  thing  day  after  day,  plain,  honest, 
hard  work — you  haven't  got  that  sort  of  pluck. 
You're  a  failure  and  the  worst  of  it  is,  you're 


272          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

not  ashamed  of  it.  It  seems  to  fill  you  with 
self-satisfaction.  Oh,  you're  incorrigible,"  she 
ended  with  a  laugh. 

"  I  am;  let's  let  it  go  at  that.  I  suppose 
there's  nothing  you  want  me  to  take  home;  I 
shall  be  going  down  to  Tunbridge  Wells  to  see 
mother.  Got  any  messages?  ' 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  have.  Eddie  has  just 
brought  me  a  couple  of  letters.  I'll  have  a  look 
at  them  first." 

She  went  over  to  the  table  and  picked  up  Miss 
Pringle's  letter  and  opened  it. 

After  reading  a  few  lines,  she  gave  a  little 
cry. 

"  Oh!  " 

"  What's  the  matter?  "  asked  Marsh, 

"  What  can  she  mean?  Listen!  '  I've  just 
heard  from  Mr.  Wynne  about  your  good  luck 
and  I'm  glad  to  say  I  have  another  piece  of  good 
news  for  you. '  : 

Dropping  the  letter,  she  tore  open  the  other. 
It  contained  a  check.  She  gave  it  a  quick  glance. 

* '  A  check  for  five  hundred  pounds !  Oh,  Ed- 
die, listen. ' '  She  read  from  Mr.  Wynne 's  letter : 
"  '  Dear  Miss  Marsh — I  have  had  several  inter- 
views with  Mr.  Wickham  in  relation  to  the  late 
Miss  Wickham 's  estate,  and  I  ventured  to  repre- 
sent to  him  that  you  had  been  very  badly 
treated.  Now  that  everything  is  settled,  he 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          273 

wishes  me  to  send  you  the  enclosed  check  as 
some  recognition  of  your  devoted  services  to  his 
late  aunt — five  hundred  pounds.' 

"  That's  a  very  respectable  sum,"  said 
Marsh,  nodding  his  head  sagely. 

"  I  could  do  with  that  myself,"  remarked 
Hornby. 

"  I've  never  had  so  much  money  in  all  my 
life!" 

"  But  what's  the  other  piece  of  good  news  that 
Miss  Stick-in-the-mud  has  for  you?  ' 

"  Oh,  I  quite  forgot.  Where  is  it?  "  Her 
brother  stooped  and  picked  the  fallen  letter 
from  the  floor. 

"  Thank  you.  Um-um-um-um-um.  Oh,  yes, 
*  Piece  of  good  news  for  you.  I  write  at  once  so 
that  you  may  make  your  plans  accordingly.  I 
told  you  in  my  last  letter,  did  I  not,  of  my  sister- 
in-law's  sudden  death?  Now  my  brother  is  very 
anxious  that  I  should  make  my  home  with  him. 
So  I  am  leaving  Mrs.  Hubbard.  She  wishes  me 
to  say  that  if  you  care  to  have  my  place  as  her 
companion,  she  will  be  very  pleased  to  have 
you.  I  have  been  with  her  for  thirteen  years 
and  she  has  always  treated  me  like  an  equal. 
She  is  very  considerate  and  there  is  practically 
nothing  to  do  but  to  exercise  the  dear  little 
dogs.  The  salary  is  thirty-five  pounds  a 
year.'  " 


274          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  But,"  said  Marsh,  looking  at  the  envelope 
in  his  hand,  "  the  letter  is  addressed  to  Miss 
Marsh.  I'd  intended  to  ask  you  about  that; 
don't  they  know  you're  married?  " 

"No.    I  haven't  told  them." 

' '  What  a  lark !  ' '  said  Reggie,  slapping  his 
knee.  ' '  You  could  go  back  to  Tunbridge  Wells, 
and  none  of  the  old  frumps  would  ever  know 
you'd  been  married  at  all." 

*  *  Why,  so  I  could !  ' '  said  Nora  in  a  breath- 
less tone.  She  gave  Hornby  a  strange  look  and 
turned  toward  the  window  to  hide  the  fact  that 
she  had  flushed  to  the  roots  of  her  hair. 

Her  brother  gave  her  a  long  look. 

"  Just  clear  out  for  a  minute,  Reg.  I  want 
to  talk  with  Nora." 

"  Right-o!  "  He  disappeared  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  shed. 

"  Nora,  do  you  want  to  clear  out?  ' 

' '  What  on  earth  makes  you  think  that  I  do  1  ' 

"  You  gave  Reg  such  a  look  when  he  men- 
tioned it." 

"I'm  only  bewildered.  Tell  me,  did  Frank 
know  anything  about  tins?  " 

"  My  dear,  how  could  he?  ' 

"  It's  most  extraordinary;  he  was  talking 
about  my  going  away  only  a  moment  before  you 
came. ' ' 

"  About  your  going  away?    But  why?  " 


'NOKA,    FOK    <.<>OI>.\KSS'   SAKE,    TKI.I.    ME    IK    TIIKKK'S    AXYTHIM; 
TIIK   MA'ITER." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          275 

She  realized  that  she  had  betrayed  herself 
and  kept  silent. 

"  Nora,  for  goodness'  sake  tell  me  if  there's 
anything  the  matter.  Can't  you  see  it's  now 
or  never!  You're  keeping  something  back 
from  me.  I  could  see  it  all  along,  ever  since 
I  came.  Aren't  you  two  getting  on  well  to- 
gether? " 

"  Not  very,"  she  said  in  a  low,  shamed  tone. 

11  Why  in  heaven's  name  didn't  you  let  me 
know." 

"  I  was  ashamed." 

"  But  you  just  now  said  he  was  kind  to  you." 

1 1  I  have  nothing  to  reproach  him  with. ' ' 

' '  I  tell  you  I  felt  there  was  something  wrong. 
I  knew  you  couldn't  be  happy  with  him.  A  girl 
like  you,  with  your  education  and  refinement, 
and  a  man  like  him — a  hired  man!  Oh,  the 
whole  thing  would  have  been  ridiculous  if  it 
weren't  horrible.  Not  that  he's  not  a  good 
fellow  and  as  straight  as  they  make  them, 
but—  Well,  thank  God,  I'm  here  and  you've 
got  this  chance." 

"  Eddie,  what  do  you  mean?  " 

"  You're  not  fit  for  this  life.  I  mean  you've 
got  your  chance  to  go  back  home  to  England. 
For  God's  sake,  take  it!  In  six  months'  time, 
all  you've  gone  through  here  will  seem  nothing 
but  a  hideous  dream." 


276          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

The  expression  of  her  face  was  so  extraordi- 
nary, such  a  combination  of  fear,  bewilderment, 
and  something  that  was  far  deeper  than  dismay, 
that  he  stared  at  her  for  a  moment  without 
speaking. 

"  Nora,  what's  the  matter!  ' 

11  I  don't  know,"  she  said  hoarsely. 

But  she  did,  she  did. 

At  his  words,  the  picture  of  the  little  shack — 
her  home  now — as  it  had  looked  the  first 
time  she  saw  it  in  all  its  comfortlessness, 
its  untidy  squalor,  rose  before  her  eyes.  And 
she  saw  a  lonely  man  clumsily  busying  himself 
about  the  preparation  of  an  illy-cooked  meal, 
and  later  sitting  smoking  in  the  desolate  silence. 
She  saw  him  go  forth  to  his  daily  toil  with  all 
the  lightness  gone  from  his  step,  to  return  at 
night-fall,  with  a  heaviness  born  of  more  than 
mere  physical  fatigue,  to  the  same  bleak  bare- 
ness. 

And  she  saw  herself,  back  at  Tunbridge 
Wells.  No  longer  the  mistress,  but  the  under- 
paid underling.  Eating  once  more  off  fine  old 
china,  at  a  table  sparkling  with  silver  and  glass. 
But  the  bread  was  bitter,  the  bread  of  the  de- 
pendent. And  she  came  and  went  at  another's 
bidding,  and  the  yoke  was  not  easy.  She  trod 
once  more,  round  and  round,  in  that  little  circle 
which  she  knew  so  well.  She  used  to  think  that 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          277 

the  walls  would  stifle  her.  How  much  more 
would  they  not  stifle  her  now  that  she  had 
known  this  larger  freedom? 

"  I  say,"  said  Reggie's  voice  from  the  door- 
way, "  here's  someone  coming  to  see  you." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

IT  was  Mrs.  Sharp,  making  her  laborious  way 
slowly  up  the  path. 

"  Why,"  said  Nora,  in  a  low  voice,  "  it's 
Mrs.  Sharp,  the  wife  of  our  neighbor.  What- 
ever brings  her  here  on  foot !  She  never  walks 
a  step  if  she  can  help  it." 

11  Good  afternoon,  Mrs.  Sharp,"  she  called. 

Mrs.  Sharp  had  apparently  come  on  some 
sudden  impulse.  Usually,  well  as  they  knew 
each  other  by  this  time,  she  always  made  more 
or  less  of  a  toilet  before  having  her  husband 
drive  her  over.  But  to-day  she  had  evidently 
come  directly  from  her  work.  She  wore  a  bat- 
tered old  skirt  and  a  faded  shirt-waist,  none 
too  clean.  On  her  head  was  an  old  sunbonnet, 
the  strings  of  which  were  tied  in  a  hard  knot 
under  her  fat  chin. 

"  Come  right  in,"  said  Nora  cordially. 
' '  You  do  look  warm. ' ' 

"  Good  afternoon  to  you,  Mrs.  Taylor.  Yes, 
I'm  all  in  a  perspiration.  I've  not  walked  so 
far — well,  goodness  alone  knows  when!  ' 

"  This  is  my  brother,"  said  Nora,  presenting 
Eddie. 

278 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          279 

"  Your  brother?    Is  that  who  it  is!  " 

"  Why,  you  seem  surprised." 

Mrs.  Sharp  forbore  any  explanation  for  the 
moment.  Sinking  heavily  into  the  rocking 
chair,  she  accepted  with  a  grateful  nod  the 
fan  that  Nora  offered  her.  There  was  noth- 
ing to  do  but  to  give  her  time  to  recover 
her  breath.  Nora  and  Eddie  sat  down  and 
waited. 

"  I  was  so  anxious,"  Mrs.  Sharp  at  length 
managed  to  say,  still  panting — whether  with  ex- 
haustion or  emotion,  Nora  could  not  tell — be- 
tween her  sentences,  "  I  simply  couldn't  stay 
indoors — another  minute.  I  went  out  to  see 
if  I — could  catch  a  sight  of  Sid.  And  I  walked 
on,  and  on.  And  then  I  saw  the  rig  what's — 
outside.  And  it  gave  me  such  a  turn!  I 
thought  it  was  the  inspector.  I  just  had  to 
come — I  was  that  nervous !  ' 

"  But  why!  Is  anything  the  matter?  "  asked 
Nora,  completely  puzzled. 

"  You're  not  going  to  tell  me  you  don't  know 
about  it?  When  Sid  and  Frank  haven't  been 
talking  about  anything  else  since  Frank  found 
it?  " 

11  Found  it?    Found  what?  " 

"  The  weed,"  said  Mrs.  Sharp  simply. 

"  You've  got  it  then,"  said  Marsh,  with  a 
slight  gesture  of  his  head  toward  the  table 


280         THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

where  Nora's  flowers  made  a  bright  spot  of 
color. 

"  It's  worse  here,  at  Taylor's.  But  we've  got 
it,  too." 

"  What  does  she  mean?  '  Nora  addressed 
herself  to  Eddie,  abandoning  all  hope  of  get- 
ting anything  out  of  her  friend. 

"  We  can't  make  out  who  reported  us.  It 
isn't  as  if  we  had  any  enemies,"  went  on  Mrs. 
Sharp  gloomily,  as  if  Nora  wasn't  present,  or 
at  least  hadn't  spoken.  "  It  isn't  as  if  we  had 
any  enemies,"  she  repeated.  "  Goodness  knows 
we've  never  done  anything  to  anybody." 

"  Oh,  there's  always  someone  to  report  you. 
After  all,  it's  not  to  be  wondered  at.  No  one's 
going  to  run  the  risk  of  letting  it  get  on  his 
own  land." 

"  And  she  has  them  in  the  house  as  if  they 
were  flowers !  ' '  exclaimed  Mrs.  Sharp,  address- 
ing the  ceiling. 

"  Eddie,  I  insist  that  you  tell  me  what  you 
two  are  talking  about,"  demanded  Nora  hotly. 

"  My  dear,"  said  her  brother,  "  these  pretty 
little  flowers  which  you've  picked  to  make  your 
shack  look  bright  and — and  homelike,  may 
mean  ruin." 

"  Eddie!  " 

"  You  must  have  heard — why,  I  remember 
telling  you  about  it  myself — about  this  mustard, 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          281 

this  weed.  We  fanners  in  Canada  have  three 
enemies  to  fight:  frost,  hail  and  weed." 

Mrs.  Sharp  confirmed  his  words  with  a  de- 
spairing nod  of  her  head. 

11  "We  was  hailed  out  last  year,"  she  said. 
' '  Lost  our  whole  crop.  Never  got  a  dollar  for 
it.  And  now!  If  we  lose  it  this  year,  too — 
why,  we  might  just  as  well  quit  and  be  done 
with  it." 

"  When  it  gets  into  your  crop,"  Marsh  ex- 
plain for  Nora's  benefit,  "  you've  got  to  re- 
port it.  If  you  don't,  one  of  the  neighbors  is 
sure  to.  And  then  they  send  an  inspector  along, 
and  if  lie  condemns  it,  why  you  just  have  to 
destroy  the  whole  crop,  and  all  your  year's 
work  goes  for  nothing.  You're  lucky,  in  that 
case,  if  you've  got  a  bit  of  money  laid  by  in 
the  bank  and  can  go  on  till  next  year  when  the 
next  crop  comes  along." 

"  We've  only  got  a  quarter-section  and  we've 
got  five  children.  It's  not  much  money  you 
can  save  then." 

"  But —      '  began  Nora. 

"  Are  they  out  with  the  inspector  now?  " 
asked  Marsh. 

* '  Yes.  He  came  out  from  Prentice  this  morn- 
ing early." 

11  This  will  be  a  bad  job  for  Frank." 

"  Yes,  but  he  hasn't  got  the  mouths  to  feed 


282          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

that  we  have.  I  can't  think  what's  to  become 
of  us.  He  can  hire  out  again." 

Nora's  face  flushed. 

"  I — I  wonder  why  he  hasn't  told  me  any- 
thing about  it.  I  asked  him,  only  this  morn- 
ing, what  was  troubling  him.  I  was  sure  there 
was  something,  but  he  said  not,"  she  said 
sadly. 

"  Oh,  I  guess  he's  always  been  in  the  habit 
of  keeping  his  troubles  to  himself,  and  you 
haven't  taught  him  different  yet." 

Nora  was  about  to  make  a  sharp  retort,  but 
realizing  that  her  good  neighbor  was  half  be- 
side herself  with  anxiety  and  nervousness,  she 
said  nothing.  A  fact  which  the  unobservant 
Eddie  noted  with  approval. 

"  Well,"  he  said  as  cheerfully  as  he  could, 
"  you  must  hope  for  the  best,  Mrs.  Sharp." 

11  Sid  says  we've  only  got  it  in  one  place. 
But  perhaps  he's  only  saying  it,  so  as  I 
shouldn't  worry.  But  you  know  what  them  in- 
spectors are;  they  don't  lose  nothin'  by  it.  It 
don't  matter  to  them  if  you  starve  all  winter!  ' 

Suddenly  she  began  to  cry.  Great  sobs 
wracked  her  heavy  frame.  The  big  tears  rolled 
down  her  cheeks.  Nora  had  never  seen  her 
give  way  before,  even  when  she  talked  of  the 
early  hardships  she  had  endured,  or  of  the  little 
one  she  had  lost.  She  was  greatly  moved,  for 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          283 

this  good,  brave  woman  who  had  already  suf- 
fered so  much. 

"  Oh,  don't — don't  cry,  dear  Mrs.  Sharp. 
After  all,  it  may  all  turn  out  right." 

"  They  won't  condemn  the  whole  crop  unless 
it's  very  bad,  you  know,"  Marsh  reminded  her. 
"  Too  many  people  have  got  their  eyes  on  it; 
the  machine  agent  and  the  loan  company." 

Mrs.  Sharp  had  regained  her  self-control  in 
sufficient  measure  to  permit  of  her  speaking. 
She  still  kept  making  little  dabs  at  her  eyes 
with  a  red  bandanna  handkerchief,  and  her  voice 
broke  occasionally.  , 

"  What  with  the  hail  that  comes  and  hails 
you  out,  and  the  frost  that  kills  your  crop  just 
when  you're  beginning  to  count  on  it,  and  now 
the  weed!  '  She  had  to  stop  again  for  a  mo- 
ment. "  I  can't  bear  any  more.  If  we  lose 
this  crop,  I  won't  go  on.  I'll  make  Sid  sell 
out,  and  we'll  go  back  home.  We'll  take  a  little 
shop  somewhere.  That's  what  I  wanted  to  do 
from  the  beginning.  But  Sid — Sid  always  had 
his  heart  set  on  farming." 

"  But  you  couldn't  go  back  now,"  said  Nora, 
her  face  aglow,  "  you  couldn't.  You  never 
could  be  happy  or  contented  in  a  little  shop 
after  the  life  you've  had  out  here.  And  think; 
if  you'd  stayed  back  in  England,  you'd  have 
always  been  at  the  beck  and  call  of  somebody 


284          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

else.  And  you  own  your  land.  You  couldn't 
do  that  back  in  England.  Every  time  you  come 
out  of  your  door  and  look  at  the  growing  wheat, 
aren't  you  proud  to  think  that  it's  all  yours! 
I  know  you  are.  I've  seen  it  in  your  face." 

"  You  don't  know  all  that  I've  had  to  put  up 
with.  When  the  children  came,  only  once  did 
I  have  a  doctor.  All  the  rest  of  the  times,  Sid 
was  all  the  help  I  had.  I  might  as  well  have 
been  an  animal!  I  wish  I'd  never  left  home 
and  come  to  this  country,  that  I  do!  ' 

"  How  can  you  say  that?  Look  at  your  chil- 
dren, how  strong  and  healthy  they  are.  And 
think  what  a  future  they  will  have.  Why, 
they'll  be  able  to  help  you  both  in  your  work 
soon.  You  've  given  them  a  chance ;  they  'd  never 
have  had  a  chance  back  home.  You  know  that." 

"  Oh,  it's  all  very  well  for  them.  They'll 
have  it  easy,  I  know  that.  Easier  than  their 
poor  father  and  mother  ever  had.  But  we've 
had  to  pay  for  it  all  in  advance,  Sid  and  me. 
They'll  never  know  what  we  paid." 

"  Ah,  but  don't  you  see  that  it  is  because 
you  were  the  first?  "  said  Nora,  going  over  to 
her  and  laying  a  friendly  hand  upon  her  arm. 
Mrs.  Sharp  was,  of  course,  too  preoccupied  with 
her  own  troubles  to  realize,  even  if  she  had 
known  that  the  question  of  Nora's  return  to 
England  had  come  up,  that  her  friend  was  do- 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          285 

ing  some  special  pleading  for  herself,  against 
herself.  But  to  her  brother,  who  years  before 
had  in  a  lesser  degree  gone  through  the  same 
searching  experience,  the  cause  of  her  warmth 
was  clear.  He  nodded  his  approval. 

"  It's  bitter  work,  opening  up  a  new  coun- 
try, I  realize  that, ' '  Nora  went  on,  her  eyes  dark 
with  earnestness. 

Unknown  to  herself,  she  had  a  larger  audi- 
ence, for  Hornby  and  Frank  stood  silently  in 
the  open  door.  Marsh  saw  them,  and  shook 
his  head  slightly.  He  wanted  Nora  to  finish. 

"  What  if  it  is  the  others  who  reap  the  har- 
vest? Don't  you  really  believe  that  those  who 
break  the  ground  are  rewarded  in  a  way  that 
the  later  comers  never  dream  of?  I  do." 

"  She's  right  there,"  broke  in  Marsh.  "  I 
shall  never  forget,  Mrs.  Sharp,  what  I  felt  when 
I  saw  my  first  crop  spring  up — the  thought 
that  never  since  the  world  began  had  wheat 
grown  on  that  little  bit  of  ground  before.  Oh, 
it  was  wonderful!  I  wouldn't  go  back  to  Eng- 
land now,  to  live,  for  anything  in  the  world. 
I  couldn't  breathe." 

"  You're  a  man.  You  have  the  best  of  it, 
and  all  the  credit." 

11  Not  with  everyone,"  said  Nora.  She  fell 
on  her  knees  beside  the  elder  woman's  chair 
and  stroked  her  work-roughened  old  hand. 


286          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  The  outsiders  don't  know.  You  mustn't 
blame  them,  how  could  they!  It's  only  those 
who've  lived  on  the  prairie  who  could  know 
that  the  chief  burden  of  the  hardships  of 
opening  up  a  new  country  falls  upon  the 
women.  But  the  men  who  are  the  husbands, 
they  know,  and  in  their  hearts  they  give  us 
all  credit." 

11  I  guess  they  do,  Mrs.  Sharp,"  said  Marsh 
earnestly. 

Mrs.  Sharp  smiled  gratefully  on  Nora  through 
her  tears. 

"  Thank  you  for  speaking  so  kindly  to  me, 
my  dear.  I  know  that  you  are  right  in  every 
blessed  thing  you've  said.  You  must  excuse 
me  for  being  a  bit  downhearted  for  the  moment. 
The  fact  is,  I'm  that  nervous  that  I  hardly 
know  what  I'm  saying.  But  you've  done  me  no 
end  of  good." 

"  That's  right."  Nora  got  slowly  to  her  feet. 
"  Sid  and  Frank  will  be  here  in  a  minute  or 
two,  I  am  sure." 

"  And  you're  perfectly  right,  both  of  you," 
Mrs.  Sharp  repeated.  "  I  couldn't  go  back  and 
live  in  England  again.  If  we  lose  our  crop, 
well,  we  must  hang  on  some  way  till  next  year. 
We  shan't  starve,  exactly.  A  person's  got  to 
take  the  rough  with  the  smooth ;  and  take  it  by 
and  large,  it's  a  good  country." 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          287 

"  Ah,  now  you're  talking  more  like  yourself, 
the  self  that  used  to  cheer  me  up  when 

Turning,  she  saw  her  husband  standing  in 
the  doorway. 

"  Frank!  " 

He  was  looking  at  her  with  quite  a  new  ex- 
pression. How  long  had  he  been  there?  Had 
he  heard  all  she  had  been  saying  to  Mrs.  Sharp, 
carried  away  by  the  emotion  aroused  by  the 
secret  conflict  within  her  own  heart!  She  both 
hoped  and  feared  that  he  had. 

"  Where's  Sid?  "  said  Mrs.  Sharp,  starting 
to  her  feet. 

"  Why,  he's  up  at  your  place.  Hulloa,  Ed. 
Saw  you  coming  along  in  the  rig  earlier  in  the 
morning.  But  I  was  surprised  to  find  Reg  here. 
Didn't  recognize  him  so  far  away  in  his  store 
clothes." 

11  Must  have  been  a  pleasant  surprise  for 
you,"  said  Hornby  with  conviction. 

''What's  happened?  Tell  me  what's  hap- 
pened." 

"  Mrs.  Sharp  came  on  here  because  she  was 
too  anxious  to  stay  at  home,"  Nora  explained. 

"  Oh,  you're  all  right." 

"  We  are?  '  Mrs.  Sharp  gave  a  sobbing 
gasp  of  relief. 

"  Only  a  few  acres  got  to  go.  That  won't 
hurt  you." 


288          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Thank  God  for  that!  And  it's  goin'  to  be 
the  best  crop  we  ever  had.  It's  the  finest  coun- 
try in  the  world !  ' '  Her  face  was  beaming. 

"  You'd  better  be  getting  back,"  warned  Tay- 
lor. "  Sid's  taken  the  inspector  up  to  give  him 
some  dinner." 

"  He  hasn't!  "  said  Mrs.  Sharp  indignantly. 
"  If  that  isn't  just  like  a  man."  She  made  a 
gesture  condemning  the  sex.  "It's  a  mercy 
there's  plenty  in  the  house.  But  I  must  be  get- 
ting along  right  away,"  she  bustled. 

"  But  you  mustn't  think  of  walking  all  that 
way  back  in  the  hot  sun,"  expostulated  Nora. 
"  There's  Eddie's  rig.  Reggie,  here,  will  drive 
you  over." 

11  Oh,  thank  you,  kindly.  I'm  not  used  to 
walking  very  much,  you  know,  and  I'd  be  all 
tuckered  out  by  the  time  I  got  back  home. 
Good-by,  all.  Good  afternoon,  Mrs.  Taylor." 

"  Good  afternoon.  Reggie,  you  won't  mind 
driving  Mrs.  Sharp  back.  It's  only  just  a  little 
over  a  mile." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  said  Hornby  good- 
naturedly. 

"  I'll  come  and  help  you  put  the  mare  in," 
said  Marsh,  starting  to  follow  Hornby  and  Mrs. 
Sharp  down  the  path. 

"  I  guess  it's  a  relief  to  you,  now  you  know," 
he  called  back  to  his  brother-in-law. 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          289 

"  Terrible.  I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you 
presently,  Ed.  I'll  go  on  out  with  him,  I 
guess,"  he  said,  turning  to  his  wife. 

She  nodded  silently.  She  was  grateful  to 
him  for  leaving  her  alone  for  a  time.  They 
would  have  much  to  say  to  each  other  a  little 
later. 

"  Hold  on,  Ed,  I'm  coming." 

' l  Right  you  are !  ' ' 

He  ran  lightly  down  the  path  where  his 
brother-in-law  stood  waiting  for  him. 

She  stood  for  a  long  moment  looking  down 
at  the  innocent-looking  little  blossoms  on  her 
table.  And  they  could  cause  such  heartbreak 
and  desolation,  ranking,  as  engines  of  destruc- 
tion, with  the  frost  and  the  hail!  Could  make 
such  seasoned  and  tried  women  as  Mrs.  Sharp 
weep  and  bring  the  gray  look  of  apprehension 
into  the  eyes  of  a  man  like  her  husband.  Those 
innocent-looking  little  flowers ! 

What  must  he  have  felt  as  he  saw  her  arrang- 
ing them  so  light-heartedly  in  her  pudding-dish 
that  morning.  And  yet,  rather  than  mar  her 
pleasure,  he  had  choked  back  the  impulse  to 
speak.  Yes,  that  was  like  him.  For  a  moment 
they  blurred  as  she  looked  at  them.  She  checked 
her  inclination  to  throw  them  into  the  stove, 
to  burn  them  to  ashes  so  that  they  could  work 
their  evil  spells  no  more.  Later  on,  she  would 


290          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

do  so.  But  she  wanted  them  there  until  he 
returned. 

She  looked  about  the  little  room.  Yes,  it  was 
pretty  and  homelike,  deserving  all  the  nice 
things  people  said  about  it.  And  what  a  real 
pleasure  she  had  had  in  transforming  it,  from 
the  dreadful  little  place  it  was  when  she  first 
saw  it,  into  what  it  was  now.  Not  that  she 
could  ever  have  worked  the  miracle  alone. 

She  smiled  sadly  to  herself.  How  all  her 
thoughts,  like  homing  pigeons,  had  the  one  goal ! 

And  how  proud  he  was  of  it  all.  With  what 
delighted,  almost  childlike  interest,  he  had 
watched  each  little  change.  And  how  he  had 
acquiesced  in  every  suggestion  and  helped  her 
to  plan  and  carry  out  the  things  she  could  not 
have  done  alone. 

She  lived  again  those  long  winter  evenings 
when,  snug  and  warm,  the  grim  cruelty  of  the 
storms  shut  out,  she  had  read  aloud  to  him 
while  he  worked  on  making  the  chairs. 

How  long  would  it  keep  its  prettiness  with 
no  woman's  eye  to  keep  its  jealous  watch  on 
it?  The  process  of  reversion  to  its  old  desola- 
tion would  be  gradual.  The  curtains,  the  bright 
ribands,  the  cushions  would  slowly  become 
soiled  and  faded.  And  there  would  be  no  one 
here  to  renew  them.  For  a  moment,  the  thought 
of  asking  Mrs.  Sharp  to  look  after  them  came 


'THANK   Y<>r  K>K  SI-KAKIXC-  KINDLY  TO   MK,   MY  IIKAK.' 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          291 

into  her  mind.  But,  no.  She  certainly  had 
enough  to  do.  And,  besides — the  thought 
thrilled  her  with  delight — he  would  not  like  hav- 
ing anyone  else  to  touch  them ! 

And  she  ?  She  would  be  back  in  that  old  life 
where  such  simple  little  things  were  a  common- 
place, a  matter  of  course.  And  what  interest 
would  they  be  to  her?  She  could  see  herself 
ripping  the  ribands  from  an  old  hat  to  tie  back 
curtains  for  Mrs.  Hubbard !  Certainly  that  ex- 
cellent lady  would  be  astonished  if  she  sug- 
gested doing  anything  of  the  sort,  and  small 
wonder.  She  hired  the  proper  people  to  keep 
her  house  in  order  just  as  she  was  going  to 
hire  her. 

She  found  it  in  her  heart  to  be  sorry  for  Mrs. 
Hubbard.  She  had  always  had  her  money.  The 
joy  of  these  little  miracles  of  contrivance  had 
never  been  hers.  She  had  bought  her  home. 
She  had  never,  in  all  her  pampered  life,  made 
one. 

Home!  "What  a  desolating  word  it  could  be 
to  the  homeless.  She  knew.  Since  her  far-off 
childhood,  she  had  never  called  a  place  '  home  ' 
till  now.  And  just  as  the  word  began  to  take 
on  a  new  meaning,  she  was  going  to  leave  it! 
Had  anyone  told  her  a  few  short  months  ago, 
on  the  night  that  she  had  first  seen  what  she 
had  inwardly  called  a  hovel,  that  she  would 


292          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

ever  leave  it  with  any  faintest  feeling  of  regret, 
she  would  have  called  him  mad.  Regret!  why 
the  thought  of  leaving  tore  her  very  heart- 
strings. 

What  if  it  had  been  only  a  few  short  months 
that  had  passed  since  then!  One's  life  is  not 
measured  by  the  ticking  of  a  clock,  but  by  emo- 
tion and  feeling.  She  had  crowded  more  emo- 
tion into  these  few  short  months  than  in  all 
the  rest  of  her  dull,  uneventful  life  put  together. 

Fear,  terror,  hatred,  murderous  rage,  bitter 
humiliation,  she  had  felt  them  all  within  the 
small  compass  of  these  four  walls.  And  great- 
est of  all — why  try  to  deceive  her  own  heart 
any  longer — here  she  had  known  love.  She  had 
fought  off  the  acknowledgment  of  this  the 
crowning  experience  and  humiliation  as  long  as 
she  could.  She  had  called  on  her  pride,  that 
pride  which  had  never  before  failed  her.  And 
now,  to  herself,  she  had  to  acknowledge  that  she 
was  beaten. 

They  were  all  against  her.  Her  own  brother 
had  spoken,  only  a  few  moments  ago,  of  her 
marriage  as  horrible.  "  A  girl  like  you  and  a 
hired  man!  "  She  could  hear  him  now.  And 
he  had  spoken  of  her  leaving  as  a  matter  of 
course.  He  couldn't  have  done  it  if  he  had 
cared.  He  liked  the  comforts  that  a  woman 
brings  to  a  house,  the  little  touches  that  no 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          293 

man's  hand  can  give,  that  a  woman,  even  as 
unskillful  as  she,  brings  about  instinctively, 
that  was  all.  Almost  any  other  woman  could 
do  as  well.  He  did  not  prize  her  for  herself. 

And  she  would  go  back  to  England  and,  as 
Hornby  had  gleefully  said,  no  one  need  ever 
know.  She  would  have  a  place,  on  sufferance, 
in  other  people's  homes.  The  only  change  that 
the  year  would  have  made  in  her  life  would  be 
that  the  check  in  her  pocket,  safely  invested, 
might  save  her  eventually,  when  she  was  too 
old  to  serve  as  a  companion,  from  being  de- 
pendant on  actual  charity.  And  to  all  outward 
intents  and  purposes,  the  year  would  be  as  if 
it  had  never  been. 

"  In  six  months,  all  you've  gone  through  here 
will  seem  nothing  but  a  hideous  dream,"  her 
brother  had  promised  her.  Was  there  ever  a 
man  since  the  world  began  that  understood  a 
woman !  A  dream !  The  only  time  in  her  life 
that  she  had  really  lived.  No,  all  the  rest  of 
her  life  might  be  of  the  stuff  that  dreams  are 
made  on,  but  not  this.  And  like  a  sleep-walker, 
dead  to  all  sensation,  she  must  go  through  with 
it. 

And  she  was  not  yet  thirty.  All  of  her  fa- 
ther's family — and  she  was  physically  the 
daughter  of  her  father,  not  of  her  mother — 
lived  to  such  a  great  age.  In  all  human  proba- 


294          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

bility  there  would  be  at  least  fifty  years  of  life 
left  to  her.  Fifty  years  with  all  that  made  life 
worth  living  behind  one ! 

She  supposed  he  would  eventually  get  a  di- 
vorce. She  remembered  to  have  heard  that  such 
things  were  easy  out  here,  not  like  it  was  in 
England.  And  he  was  a  man  who  would  be 
sure  to  marry  again,  he  would  want  a  family. 

And  it  was  some  other  woman  who  would  be 
the  mother  of  his  children ! 

The  wave  of  passion  that  swept  her  now, 
made  up  of  bitter  regret,  of  longing  and  of 
jealousy,  overwhelmed  her  as  never  before. 

She  had  been  pacing  the  room  up  and  down, 
up  and  down,  stopping  now  and  then  to  touch 
some  little  familiar  object  with  a  touch  that 
was  a  caress. 

But  at  this  last  thought,  she  sank  into  a 
chair  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands. 

The  storm  of  weeping  which  shook  her  had 
nearly  spent  itself,  when  she  heard  steps  com- 
ing toward  the  house,  a  step  that  her  heart 
had  known  for  many  a  day.  Drying  her  eyes 
quickly,  she  went  to  the  window  and  made  a 
pretense  of  looking  out  that  he  might  not  see 
her  tear-stained  face.  She  made  a  last  call  on 
her  pride  and  strength  to  carry  her  through  the 
coming  interview.  He  should  never  know  what 
leaving  cost  her;  that  she  promised  herself. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

"  ED  drove  over  with  Eeg  and  Emma ;  I  guess 
he  won't  be  very  long.  There  was  something 
he  wanted  to  say  to  old  man  Sharp  that  he'd 
forgot  ahout. ' ' 

' '  Then  you  didn  't  get  your  talk  with  him  ?  ' ' 

She  was  glad  of  that.  It  was  better  to  have 
their  own  talk  first.  But  as  it  had  been  lie  who 
had  broached  the  subject  of  her  leaving,  it  was 
he  who  must  reopen  it. 

"  No,  but  I  guess  anything  I've  got  to  say 
to  him  will  keep  till  he  gets  back.  Ed's  thinking 
of  buying  a  clearing-machine  that's  for  sale 
over  Prentice  way. ' ' 

"  Yes,  he  told  me." 

Without  turning  her  head,  she  could  tell  that 
he  was  looking  around  for  the  matches.  He 
never  could  remember  that  they  were  kept  in 
a  jar  over  on  the  shelf  back  of  the  stove.  He 
was  going  to  smoke  his  pipe,  of  course.  When 
men  were  nervous  about  anything  they  always 
flew  to  tobacco.  Women  were  denied  that  poor 
consolation.  But  she,  too,  felt  the  necessity  of 
having  something  to  occupy  her  hands.  She 
went  back  to  the  table,  and  taking  some  of 

295 


296          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Frank's  thick  woolen  socks  from  her  basket,  sat 
down  and  began  mechanically  to  darn  them. 
She  purposely  placed  herself  so  that  he  could 
only  see  her  profile.  Even  then,  he  would  see 
that  her  eyes  were  still  red;  she  hadn't  had 
time  to  bathe  them. 

"  I  suppose  I  look  a  sight,  but  poor  Mrs. 
Sharp  was  so  upset !  She  broke  down  and  cried 
and  of  course  I've  been  crying,  too.  I'm  so 
thankful  it's  turned  out  all  right  for  her.  Poor 
thing,  I  never  saw  her  in  such  a  state!  r 

"  They've  got  five  children  to  feed.  I  guess 
it  would  make  a  powerful  lot  of  difference  to 
them,"  he  said  quietly. 

"  I  wish  you'd  told  me  all  about  it  before. 
I  felt  that  something  was  worrying  you,  and 

I  didn't  know  what."    There  was  a  pause. 

II  Why  didn't  you  tell  me?  " 

"  If  I  saved  the  crop,  there  didn't  seem  any 
use  fussing,  and  if  I  didn't,  you'd  know  soon 
enough. ' ' 

"  How  could  you  bear  to  let  me  put  those 
dreadful  flowers  here  in  the  house?  "  she  said, 
pointing  to  the  bowl  on  the  table. 

"  Oh,  I  guess  I  didn't  mind,  if  it  gave  you 
any  pleasure.  You  didn't  know  they  was  only 
a  weed  and  a  poisonous  one  for  us  farmers. 
You  thought  them  darned  pretty." 

"  That  was  very  kind  of  you,  Frank,"  said 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          297 

Nora.  Her  voice  shook  a  little  in  spite  of  her 
effort  to  control  it. 

"  I  guess  it's  queer  that  a  darned  little  flower 
like  that  should  be  able  to  do  so' much  damage/' 

That  subject  exhausted,  there  came  another 
pause.  He  was  very  evidently  waiting  her 
lead.  Could  Eddie  have  told  him  anything 
about  the  news  from  England?  No,  he  hadn't 
had  any  opportunity.  Besides  it  would  have 
been  very  unlike  Eddie,  who,  as  a  general  rule, 
had  a  supreme  talent  for  minding  his  own  af- 
fairs. 

"  How  did  it  happen  that  you  didn't  tell  me 
that  you  had  written  to  Eddie!  " 

"  I  guess  I  forgot." 

She  waited  a  few  moments  to  make  sure  that 
her  voice  was  quite  steady : 

'  *  Frank,  Eddie  brought  me  some  letters  from 
home — from  England,  I  mean — to-day.  I've 
had  an  offer  of  a  job  back  in  England." 

He  got  up  slowly  and  went  over  to  the  corner 
where  the  broom  hung  to  get  some  straws  to 
run  through  the  mouthpiece  of  his  pipe.  His 
face  was  turned  from  her,  so  that  she  could  not 
see  that  he  had  closed  his  eyes  for  a  moment 
and  that  his  mouth  was  drawn  with  pain. 

When  he  turned  he  had  resumed  his  ordinary 
expression.  His  voice  was  perfectly  steady 
when  he  spoke: 


298          THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE 

"  An  offer  of  a  job?  Gee!  I  guess  you'll 
jump  at  that. ' ' 

"  It's  funny  it  should  have  come  just  when 
you  had  been  talking  of  my  going  away." 

"  Very." 

Not  even  a  comment.  Oh,  why  didn't  he  say 
that  he  would  be  glad  to  have  her  gone,  and 
be  done  with  it!  Anything,  almost,  would  be 
easier  to  bear  than  this  total  lack  of  interest. 
She  tried  another  tack. 

"  Have  you  any — any  objection?  " 

"  I  guess  it  wouldn't  make  a  powerful  lot  of 
difference  to  you  if  I  had."  He  could  actually 
smile,  his  good-natured,  indulgent  smile,  which 
she  knew  so  well. 

"  What  makes  you  think  that?  " 

"  Oh,  I  guess  you  only  stayed  on  here  be- 
cause you  had  to." 

Nora's  work  dropped  in  her  lap. 

"  Is  life  always  like  that?  "  she  said  with 
bitter  sadness.  "  The  things  you've  wanted  so 
dreadfully  seem  only  to  bring  you  pain  when 
they  come." 

He  gave  her  a  swift  glance,  but  went  on 
smoking  quietly.  She  went  over  to  the  window 
again  and  stood  looking  out  at  the  stretch  of 
prairie.  Presently  she  spoke  in  a  low  voice, 
but  her  words  were  addressed  as  much  to  her- 
self as  to  him : 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          299 

"  Month  after  month,  this  winter,  I  used  to 
sit  here  looking  out  at  the  prairie.  Sometimes 
I  wanted  to  scream  at  the  top  of  my  voice.  I 
felt  that  I  must  break  that  awful  silence  or  go 
mad.  There  were  times  when  the  shack  was 
like  a  prison.  I  thought  I  should  never  escape. 
I  was  hemmed  in  by  the  snow  and  the  cold 
and  the  stillness;  cut  off  from  everything  and 
everybody,  from  all  that  had  been  the  world  I 
knew." 

' '  Are  you  going  to  quit  right  now  with  Ed  I  ' 
he  asked  gently. 

Nora  went  slowly  back  to  her  chair.  "  You 
seem  in  a  great  hurry  to  be  rid  of  me,"  she  said, 
with  the  nicker  of  a  smile. 

"  "Well,  I  guess  we  ain't  made  a  great  success 
of  our  married  life,  my  girl."  He  went  over 
to  the  stove  to  knock  the  ashes  from  his  pipe. 
"  It's  rum,  when  you  come  to  figure  it  out,"  he 
said,  when  it  was  once  more  lighted;  "  I 
thought  I  could  make  you  do  everything  I 
wanted,  just  because  I  was  bigger  and  stronger. 
It  sure  did  look  like  I  held  a  straight  flush. 
And  you  beat  me." 

"  I?  "  said  Nora  in  astonishment. 

"  Why,  sure.  You  don't  mean  to  say  you 
didn't  know  that?  " 

"  I  don't  know  at  all  what  you  mean." 
I    guess    I    was    pretty    ignorant    about 


1 1 


300          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

women,"  he  began  pacing  up  and  down  the 
floor  as  he  talked.  "  I  guess  I  didn't  know 
how  strong  a  woman  could  be.  You  was  always 
givin'  way;  you  done  everything  I  told  you. 
And,  all  the  time,  you  was  keeping  something 
back  from  me  that  I  couldn't  get  at.  Whenever 
I  thought  I  was  goin'  to  put  my  hand  on  you — 
zip !  You  was  away  again.  I  guess  I  found  I'd 
only  caught  hold  of  a  shadow. ' ' 

"  I  don't  know  what  more  you  expected.  I 
didn't  know  you  wanted  anything  more!  ': 

"  I  guess  I  wanted  love,"  he  said  in  a  tone 
so  low  that  she  barely  caught  it. 

He  stood  over  by  the  table,  looking  down  on 
her  from  his  great  height.  His  face  was 
flushed,  but  his  eyes  were  steady  and  un- 
ashamed. 

11  You!  " 

She  looked  at  him  in  absolute  consternation. 
Her  breath  came  in  hurried  gasps.  But  her 
heart  sang  in  her  breast  and  the  little  pathetic 
droop  of  her  mouth  disappeared.  Her  telltale 
eyes  dropped  on  her  work.  Not  yet,  not  yet; 
she  was  greedy  to  hear  more. 

"  I  know  you  now  less  well  than  when  you'd 
been  only  a  week  up  to  Ed's."  He  resumed  his 
pacing  up  and  down.  "  I  guess  I've  lost  the 
trail.  I'm  just  beating  round,  floundering  in 
the  bush." 


THE  LAND  OF  PKOMISE          301 

"  I  never  knew  you  wanted  love,"  she  said 
softly. 

"  I  giiess  I  didn't  know  it  until  just  lately, 
either. ' ' 

"  I  suppose  parting's  always  rather  painful," 
she  said  with  just  the  beginning  of  a  little  smile 
creeping  round  the  corners  of  her  lips. 

"  If  you  go  back — when  you  go  back,"  he  cor- 
rected himself,  * '  to  the  old  country,  I  guess — I 
guess  you'll  never  want  to  come  back." 

"  Perhaps  you'll  come  over  to  England  your- 
self, one  of  these  days.  If  you  only  have  a 
couple  of  good  years,  you  could  easily  shut  up 
the  place  and  run  over  for  the  winter,"  she  said 
shyly. 

"  I  guess  that  would  be  a  dangerous  experi- 
ment. You'll  be  a  lady  in  England.  I  guess 
I'd  still  be  only  the  hired  man." 

"  You'd  be  my  husband." 

"  N-o-o-o,"  he  said,  with  a  shake  of  the  head. 
"  I  guess  I  wouldn't  chance  it." 

She  tried  another  way.  She  was  sure  of  her 
happiness  now;  she  could  play  with  it  a  little 
longer. 

"  You'll  write  to  me  now  and  then,  and  tell 
me  how  you're  getting  on,  won't  you?  ' 

"  Will  you  care  to  know?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

"  Why,  yes,  of  course  I  shall." 

"  Well,"  he  said,  throwing  back  his  head 


302          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

proudly,  "  I'll  write  and  tell  you  if  I'm  making 
good.  If  I  ain't,  I  guess  I  shan't  feel  much  like 
writing. ' ' 

"  But  you  will  make  good,  Frank.  I  know 
you  well  enough  for  that." 

"  Do  you?  '     His  tone  was  grateful. 

"  I  have  learned  to — to  respect  you  during 
these  months  we've  lived  together.  You  have 
taught  me  a  great  deal.  All  sorts  of  qualities 
which  I  used  to  think  of  great  value  seem  unim- 
portant to  me  now.  I  have  changed  my  ideas 
about  many  things." 

"  We  have  each  learned  something,  I  guess," 
he  said  generously. 

Nora  gave  him  a  grateful  glance.  He  stood 
for  a  moment  at  the  far  end  of  the  room  and 
watched  her  roll  up  the  socks  she  had  just 
darned.  How  neat  and  deft  she  was.  After  all, 
there  was  something  in  being  a  lady,  as  Mrs. 
Sharp  had  said.  Neither  she  nor  Gertie,  both 
capable  women,  could  do  things  in  quite  the 
same  way  that  Nora  did. 

Oh,  why  had  she  come  into  his  life  at  all! 
She  had  given  him  the  taste  for  knowledge,  for 
better  things  of  all  sorts;  and  now  she  was 
going  away,  going  away  forever.  He  had  no 
illusions  about  her  ever  returning.  Not  she, 
once  she  had  escaped  from  a  life  she  hated. 
Had  she  not  just  said  as  much  when  she  said 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          303 

that  the  shack  had  seemed  like  a  prison  to 
her? 

And  now,  in  place  of  going  on  in  the  old  way 
that  had  always  seemed  good  enough  to  him 
before  he  knew  anything  better,  mulling  about, 
getting  his  own  meals,  with  only  one  thought, 
one  ambition  in  the  world — the  success  of  his 
crops  and  the  acquisition  of  more  land  that  he 
might  some  day  in  the  dim  future  have  a  few 
thousands  laid  by — he  would  always  be  want- 
ing something  he  could  never  get  without  her : 
more  knowledge  of  the  things  that  made  life 
fuller  and  wider  and  broader,  the  things 
that  she  prized  and  had  known  from  her  child- 
hood. 

It  was  cruel  and  unfair  of  her  to  have  awak- 
ened the  desire  in  him  only  to  abandon  him. 
To  have  held  the  cup  of  knowledge  to  his  lips 
for  one  brief  instant  and  then  leave  him  to  go 
through  life  with  his  thirst  unslaked !  Not  that 
she  was  intentionally  cruel.  No,  he  thought  he 
knew  all  of  her  little  faults  of  temper  and  of 
pride  by  this.  Her  heart  was  too  kindly  to  let 
her  wound  him  knowingly,  witness  her  tender- 
ness to  poor  Mrs.  Sharp  only  this  afternoon. 
But  it  hurt,  none  the  less.  She  had  said  that 
she  had  not  known  he  wanted  love.  How  should 
she  have  guessed  it? 

But  the  real  thing  that  tortured  him  most 


304          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

was  the  fact  that  he  wanted  her,  her,  her.  She 
had  been  his,  his  woman.  No  other  woman  in 
this  broad  earth  could  take  her  place. 

A  little  sound  like  a  groan  escaped  him. 

"  You'll  think  of  me  sometimes,  my  girl, 
won't  you?  "  he  said  huskily. 

"  I  don't  suppose  I  shall  be  able  to  help  it." 
She  smiled  at  him  over  her  shoulder,  as  she 
crossed  the  room  to  restore  her  basket  to  its 
place. 

"  I  was  an  ignorant,  uneducated  man.  I 
didn't  know  how  to  treat  you  properly.  I 
wanted  to  make  you  happy,  but  I  didn't  seem 
to  know  just  how  to  do  it. ' ' 

"  You've  never  been  unkind  to  me,  Frank. 
You've  been  very  patient  with  me!  " 

"  I  guess  you'll  be  happier  away  from  me, 
though.  And  I'll  be  able  to  think  that  you're 
warm  and  comfortable  and  at  home,  and  that 
you've  plenty  to  eat." 

"  Do  you  think  that's  all  I  want?  "  she  sud- 
denly flashed  at  him. 

He  gave  her  a  quick  glance  and  looked  away 
immediately. 

"  I  couldn't  expect  you  to  stay  on  here,  not 
when  you've  got  a  chance  of  going  back  to  the 
old  country.  This  life  is  all  new  to  you.  You 
know  that  one." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  know  it:  I  should  think  I  did!  " 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          305 

She  gave  a  little  mirthless  laugh,  and  went  over 
to  her  chair  again. 

"  At  eight  o'clock  every  morning  a  maid 
Trill  bring  me  tea  and  hot  water.  And  I  shall 
get  up,  and  I  shall  have  breakfast.  And,  pres- 
ently, I  shall  interview  the  cook,  and  I  shall 
order  luncheon  and  dinner.  And  I  shall  brush 
the  coats  of  Mrs.  Hubbard's  little  dogs  and  take 
them  for  a  walk  on  the  common.  All  the  paths 
on  the  common  are  asphalted,  so  that  elderly 
gentlemen  and  lady's  companions  shan't  get 
their  feet  wet." 

"  Gee,  what  a  life!  " 

She  hardly  gave  him  time  for  his  exclama- 
tion. As  she  went  on,  mirth,  scorn,  hatred  and 
dismay  came  into  her  voice,  but  she  was  uncon- 
scious of  it.  For  the  moment,  everything  else 
was  forgotten  but  the  vivid  picture  which  mem- 
ory conjured  up  for  her  and  which  she  so 
graphically  described. 

"  And  then,  I  shall  come  in  and  lunch,  and 
after  luncheon  I  shall  go  for  a  drive:  one  day 
we  will  turn  to  the  right  and  one  day  we  will 
turn  to  the  left.  And  then  I  shall  have  tea. 
And  then  I  shall  go  out  again  on  the  neat 
asphalt  paths  to  give  the  dogs  another  walk. 
And  then  I  shall  change  my  dress  and  come 
down  to  dinner.  And  after  dinner  I  shall  play 
bezique  with  my  employer;  only  I  must  take 


306          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

care  not  to  beat  her,  because  she  doesn't  like 
being  beaten.  And  at  ten  o'clock  I  shall  go  to 
bed." 

A  wave  of  stifling  recollection  choked  her  for 
a  moment  so  that  she  could  not  go  on.  Pres- 
ently she  had  herself  once  more  in  hand. 

11  At  eight  o'clock  next  morning  a  maid  will 
bring  in  my  tea  and  hot  water,  and  the  day  will 
begin  again.  Each  day  will  be  like  every  other 
day.  And,  can  you  believe  it,  there  are  hun- 
dreds of  women  in  England,  strong  and  capable, 
with  red  blood  in  their  veins,  who  would  be 
eager  to  get  this  place  which  is  offered  to  me. 
Almost  a  lady — and  thirty-five  pounds  a  year!  " 

She  did  not  look  toward  him,  or  she  would 
have  seen  a  look  of  wonder,  of  comprehension 
and  of  hope  pass  in  turn  over  his  face. 

"  It  seems  a  bit  different  from  the  life  you've 
had  here,"  he  said,  looking  out  through  the 
open  doorway  as  if  to  point  his  meaning. 

"  And  you,"  she  said,  turning  her  eyes  upon 
him,  "  you  will  be  clearing  the  scrub,  cutting 
down  trees,  plowing  the  land,  sowing  and  reap- 
ing. Every  day  you  will  be  fighting  something, 
frost,  hail  or  weed.  You  will  be  fighting  and 
I  will  know  that  you  must  conquer  in  the  end. 
Where  was  wilderness  will  be  cultivated  land. 
And  who  knows  what  starving  child  may  eat 
the  bread  that  has  been  made  from  the  wheat 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          307 

that  you  have  grown!  My  life  will  be  ineffec- 
tual and  utterly  useless,  while  yours " 

"  What  do  you  mean?  Nora,  Nora !  "  he  said 
more  to  himself  than  to  her. 

"  While  I  was  talking  to  Mrs.  Sharp  just  now, 
I  didn't  know  what  I  was  saying.  I  was  just 
trying  to  comfort  her  when  she  was  crying. 
And  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  someone  else  was 
speaking.  And  I  listened  to  myself.  I  thought 
I  hated  the  prairie  through  the  long  winter 
months,  and  yet,  somehow,  it  has  taken  hold  of 
me.  It  was  dreary  and  monotonous,  and  yet,  I 
can't  tear  it  out  of  my  heart.  There's  beauty 
and  a  romance  about  it  which  fills  my  very  soul 
with  longing." 

"  I  guess  we  all  hate  the  prairie  sometimes. 
But  when  you've  once  lived  on  it,  it  ain't  easy 
to  live  anywhere  else." 

"  I  know  the  life  now.  It's  not  adventurous 
and  exciting,  as  they  think  back  home.  For 
men  and  women  alike,  it's  the  same  hard  work 
from  morning  till  night,  and  I  know  it's  the 
women  who  bear  the  greater  burden. ' ' 

11  The  men  go  into  the  towns,  they  have 
shooting,  now  and  then,  and  the  changing  sea- 
sons bring  variety  in  their  work;  but  for  the 
women  it's  always  the  same  weary  round:  cook- 
ing, washing,  sweeping,  mending,  in  regular 
and  ceaseless  rotation.  And  yet  it's  all  got  a 


308          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

meaning.  "VVe,  too,  have  our  part  in  opening 
up  the  country.  "We  are  its  mothers,  and  the 
future  is  in  us.  We  are  building  up  the  great- 
ness of  the  nation.  It  needs  our  courage  and 
strength  and  hope,  and  because  it  needs  them, 
they  come  to  us.  Oh,  Frank,  I  can't  go  back  to 
that  petty,  narrow  life!  What  have  you  done 
to  me!  " 

"  I  guess  if  I  asked  you  to  stay  now,  you'd 
stay,"  he  said  hoarsely. 

"  You  said  you  wanted  love." — The  lovely 
color  flooded  her  face. — * '  Didn  't  you  see  ?  Love 
has  been  growing  in  me  slowly,  month  by 
month,  and  I  wouldn't  confess  it.  I  told  myself 
I  hated  you.  It's  only  to-day,  when  I  had 
the  chance  of  leaving  you  forever,  that  I 
knew  I  couldn't  live  without  you.  I'm  not 
ashamed  any  more.  Frank,  my  husband,  I 
love  you." 

He  made  a  stride  forward  as  if  to  take  her 
in  his  arms,  and  then  stopped  short,  smitten 
by  a  recollection. 

"  I — I  guess  I've  loved  you  from  the  begin- 
ning, Nora,"  he  stammered. 

She  had  risen  to  her  feet  and  stood  waiting 
him  with  shining  eyes. 

"  But  why  do  you  say  it  as  if What  is 

it,  Frank?  " 

"  I  can't  ask  you  to  stay  on  now;  I  guess 


THE  LAND  OF  PEOMISE          309 

you'll  have  to  take  that  job  in  England,  for  a 
while,  anyway." 

«  Why?  " 

"  The  inspector's  condemned  my  whole  crop; 
I'm  busted." 

"  Oh,  why  didn't  you  tell  me!  " 

"  I  just  guess  I  couldn't.  I  made  up  my 
mind  when  I  married  you  that  I'd  make  good. 
I  couldn  't  expect  you  to  see  that  it  was  just  bad 
luck.  Anyone  may  get  the  weed  in  his  crop. 
But,  I  guess  a  man  oughtn't  to  have  bad  luck. 
The  odds  are  that  it's  his  own  fault  if  he  has." 

"  Ah,  now  I  understand  about  your  sending 
for  Eddie." 

11  I  wrote  to  him  when  I  knew  I'd  been  re- 
ported. ' ' 

"  But  what  are  you  going  to  do!  " 

"  It's  all  right  about  me ;  I  can  hire  out  again. 
It's  you  I'm  thinking  of.  I  felt  pretty  sure  you 
wouldn't  go  back  to  Ed's.  I  don't  fancy  you 
taking  a  position  as  lady  help.  I  didn't  know 
what  was  going  to  become  of  you,  my  girl.  And 
when  you  told  me  of  the  job  you'd  been  offered 
in  England,  I  thought  I'd  have  to  let  you  go." 

"  Without  letting  me  know  you  were  in 
trouble!  " 

"  Why,  if  I  wasn't  smashed  up,  d'you  think 
I'd^yougo?  By  God,  I  wouldn't!  I'd  have 
kept  you.  By  God,  I'd  have  kept  you!  " 


310          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

"  Then  you're  going  to  give  up  the  land,"  she 
made  a  sweeping  gesture  which  took  in  the  pros- 
pect without. 

"  No,"  he  said,  shaking  his  head.  "  I  guess 
I  can't  do  that.  I've  put  too  much  work  in 
it.  And  I've  got  my  back  up,  now.  I  shall 
hire  out  for  the  summer,  and  next  winter  I  can 
get  work  lumbering.  The  land's  my  own,  now. 
I'll  come  back  in  time  for  the  plowing  next 
year. ' ' 

He  had  been  gazing  sadly  out  of  the  door  as 
he  spoke.  He  turned  to  her  now  ready  to  bring 
her  what  comfort  he  could.  But  in  place  of  the 
tearful  face  he  had  expected  to  see,  he  saw  a 
face  radiant  with  joy  and  the  light  of  love.  In 
her  hand  was  a  little  slip  of  colored  paper  which 
she  held  out  to  him. 

"Look!" 

"  What's  that?  " 

' '  The  nephew  of  the  lady  I  was  with  so  long 
— Miss  Wickham,  you  know — has  made  me  a 
present  of  it.  Five  hundred  pounds.  That's 
twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  isn't  it?  You  can 
take  the  quarter-section  you've  wanted  so  long, 
next  to  this  one.  You  can  get  all  the  machinery 
you  need.  And  ' ;  —she  gave  a  little,  happy, 
mirthful  laugh — "  you  can  get  some  cows! 
I've  learned  to  do  so  many  things,  I  guess  I  can 
learn  to  milk,  if  you'll  teach  me  and  be  very, 


THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE          311 

very  patient  about  it.  Anyway,  it's  yours  to 
do  what  you  like  with.  Now,  will  you  keep 
me?" 

"  Oh,  my  girl,  how  shall  I  ever  be  able  to 
repay  you !  ' 

"  Good  Heavens,  I  don't  want  thanks! 
There's  nothing  in  all  the  world  so  wonderful 
as  to  be  able  to  give  to  one  you  love.  Frank, 
won't  you  kiss  me!  ' 

He  folded  her  in  his  arms. 

"  I  guess  it's  the  first  time  you  ever  asked  me 
to  do  that!  " 

"  I'm  sure  I'm  the  happiest  woman  in  all  the 
world !  ' '  she  said  happily. 

As  they  stood  in  the  doorway,  he  with  his 
arm  about  her,  they  saw  Eddie  coming  up  the 
path  toward  them. 

Marsh's  honest  face,  never  a  good  mask  for 
hiding  his  feelings,  wore  an  expression  of 
bewildered  astonishment  at  their  lovelike  atti- 
tude. 

"It's  all  right,  old  dear,"  said  Nora  with  a 
happy  laugh;  "  don't  try  to  understand  it, 
you're  only  a  man.  But  I'm  not  going  back  to 
England,  to  Mrs.  Hubbard  and  her  horrid  little 
dogs;  I'm  going  to  stay  right  here.  This  over- 
grown baby  has  worked  on  my  feelings  by  pre- 
tending that  he  needs  me." 

"  And  now,  if  you'll  be  good  enough  to  hurry 


312          THE  LAND  OF  PROMISE 

Reggie  a  little,  we'll  all  have  some  supper;  it's 
long  past  the  proper  time." 

And  as  she  bustled  about  her  preparations, 
her  brother  heard  her  singing  one  of  the  long- 
ago  songs  of  their  childhood. 


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DRAMATIZED    NOVELS 

THE    KIND   THAT   ARE    MAKING   THEATRICAL   HISTORY 
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WITHIN  THE  LAW.     By  Bayard  Veiller  &  Marvin  Dana. 
Illustrated  by  Wm.  Charles  C-ooke. 

This  is  a  novelization  of  the  immensely  successful  play  which  ran 
for  two  years  in  New  York  and  Chicago. 

The  plot  of  this  powerf ol  novel  is  of  a  young  woman's  revenge 
directed  against  her  employer  who  allowed  her  to  be  sent  to  prison 
for  three  years  on  a  charge  of  theft,  of  which  she  was  innocent. 

WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  MARY.     By  Robert  Carlton  Brown. 
Illustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 

This  is  a  narrative  of  a  young  and  innocent  country  girl  who  is 
suddenly  thrown  into  the  very  heart  of  New  York,  "the  land  of  her 
dreams,"  where  she  is  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  temptations  and  dangers. 

The  story  of  Mary  is  being  told  in  moving  pictures  and  pJayed  in 
theatres  all  over  the  world. 

THE  RETURN  OF  PETER  GRIMM.      By  David  Belasco, 
Illustrated  by  John  Rae, 

This  is  a  novelization  of  the  popular  play  in  which  David  Wax; 
tield,  as  Old  Peter  Grimm,  scored  such  a  remarkable  success. 

The  story  is  spectacular   and  extremely   pathetic  but  withal, 
powerful,  both  as  a  book  and  as  a  play. 
THE  GARDEN  OF  ALLAH.    By  Robert  Hichens. 

This  novel  is  an  intense,  glowing  epic  of  the  great  desert,  sunlit 
barbaric,  with  its  marvelous  atmosphere  of  vastness  and  loneliness. 

It  is  abook  of  rapturous  beauty,  vivid  in  word  painting.    The  play 
has  been  staged  with  magnificent  cast  and  gorgeous  properties. 
BEN    HUR.    A  Tale  of  the  Christ.    By  General  Lew  Wallace. 

The  whole  world  has  placed  this  famous  Religious-Historical  Ro- 
mance on  a  height  of  pre-eminence  which  no  other  novel  of  its  time 
has  reached.  The  clashing  of  rivalry  and  the  deepest  human  passions, 
the  perfect  reproduction  of  brilliant  Roman  life,  and  the  tense,  fierce 
atmosphere  of  the  arena  have  kept  their  deep  fascination.  A  tre- 
mendo^s  dramatic  success. 

BOUG  AT  AlSiD  PATD  FOR.     By  George  Broadhurst  and  Arthur 
fiornbi.«w.  Illustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 

A  stupendous  arraignment  of  modern  marriage  which  has  created 
*n  interest  on  the  stage  that  is  almost  unparalleled.  The  scenes  are  laid 
in  New  York,  and  deal  with  conditions  among  both  the  rich  and  poor. 

The  interest  of  the  story  turns  on  the  day-by  day  developments 
which  show  the  young  wife  the  price  she  has  paid. 

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Original,  sincere  and  courageous — often  amusing — the 
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'MADAME  X.  By  Alexandra  Bisson  and  J.  W.  McCon. 
,  aughy.  Illustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 
'  A  beautiful  Parisienne  became  an  outcast  because  her  bus* 
band  would  not  forgive  an  error  of  her  youth.  Her  love  for 
her  son  is  the  great  final  influence  in  her  career.  A  tremen- 
dous dramatic  success. 

THE  GARDEN  OF  ALLAH.    By  Robert  Hichens. 

An  unconventional  English  woman  and  an  inscrutable 
stranger  meet  and  love  in  an  oasis  of  the  Sahara.  Staged 
this  season  with  magnificent  cast  and  gorgeous  properties. 

THE  PRINCE  OF  INDIA.    By  Lew.  Wallace. 

A  glowing  romance  of  the  Byzantine  Empire,  presenting 
with  extraordinary  power  the  siege  of  Constantinople,  and 
lighting  its  tragedy  with  the  warm  underglow  of  an  Oriental 
romance.  As  a  play  it  is  a  great  dramatic  spectacle. 

TESS  OF   THE   STORM   COUNTRY.     By  Grace 

Miller  White.    Illust.  by  Howard  Chandler  Christy. 

A  girl  from  the  dregs  of  society,  loves  a  young  Cornell  Unk 

versity  student,  and  it  works  startling  changes  in  her  life  and 

the  lives  of  those  about  her.    The  dramatic  version  is  one  of 

the  sensations  of  the  season. 

YOUNG    WALLINGFORD.     By  George   Randolph 

Chester.    Illust.  by  F.  R.  Gruger  and  Henry  Raleigh. 

A  series  of  clever  swindles  conducted  by  a  cheerful  young 

man,  each  of  which  is  just  on  the  safe  side  of  a  State's  prison 

offence.    As  "Get-Rich-Quick  Wallingford,"  it  is  probably 

.the  most  amusing  expose  of  money  manipulation  ever  seen 

on  the  stage. 

THE  INTRUSION  OF  JIMMY.    By  P.  G.  Wode- 

house.    Illustrations  by  Will  Grefe. 
Social  and  club  life  in  London  and  New  York,  an  amateur 
burglary  adventure  and  a  love  story.    Dramatized  under  the 
title  of  MA  Gentleman  of  Leisure,"  it  furnishes  hours  of 
laughter  to  the  play-goers. 

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